15 October 2007
North West taxi operators have joined hands with the Crossing Property
Investment, the owners of the Crossing Shopping Complex, to build a new
shopping complex in Mafikeng. Through the Kopanong Shopping Centre (Pty)
Limited, which is 100% owned by the taxi operators, they will have a 50%
ownership of the yet to be built R120 million complex, with the other 50% being
owned by the Crossing Property Investment.
The complex will be completed in the next 12 months. Speaking after the sod
turning ceremony on Friday, MEC for Transport, Roads and Community Safety,
Phenye Vilakazi, said his department had helped the taxi operators in this
venture through the integrated public transport commercial centre concept
developed in the North West province. The concept provides for world-class
public transport facilities integrated with a shopping commercial centre.
"The display indicates the level of sophistication that this initiative
provides for and it is the first of its kind in our country. We must therefore
be proud to be dictating the pace of transformation to other provinces," said
Vilakazi, adding that this was a positive step towards the transformation of
the taxi industry. The provincial government has allocated taxi operators in
the province R30 million to help them diversify their business by purchasing
existing transport ventures and building new ones.
Already, part of this money has been used to purchase a complex in Vryburg
to a tune of R5,25 million, that includes a petrol filing station and other
outlets. The business is earmarked to earn our taxi industry at least R50 000
per month in rent and petrol retail. Another old complex has been bought at
Tlhabane in Rustenburg at R4,8 million and it will be refurbished in
partnership with a strategic partner. They are also in the process of buying
another fuel station in Klerksdorp.
Enquiries:
Mandla Mathebula
Tel: 018 387 4810
Cell: 083 282 6133
E-mail: mmathebula@nwpg.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Transport, Roads and Community Safety, North West
Provincial Government
15 October 2007
Source: North West Provincial Government (http://www.nwpg.gov.za)
