Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, has officially opened the Libode and Ngqeleni transport hubs, the construction of which was funded by his office, through the Small-Town Revitalisation Programme.
Mabuyane also officially opened a landfill site in Libode, which was also one of the projects funded through the programme.
The handover of these facilities took place in Libode and Ngqeleni on October 22.
The Small-Town Revitalisation Programme includes the installation of water, sanitation, electrification, and roads infrastructure to revitalise local economic development and foster youth empowerment and skills development.
The transport hubs include bus and taxi ranks housed in one facility, as well as shelters for hawkers and associated office blocks.
“The taxi industry is one of the few industries that are still controlled by black people and, through these transport hubs, we want them to operate their business in decent facilities.
“Our hope is that these facilities will not become epicentres of taxi violence that we have seen in this area in the recent past,” said Mabuyane, while touring the Libode transport hub.
Uncedo Taxi Association Libode branch official, Fezile Manina and Libode Hawkers Association chairperson, Mthuthuzeli Mtikitiki, warmly welcomed the official opening of the transport hub but raised concerns that the hub was not yet connected to the electricity grid and had no water.
Mabuyane responded by saying Eskom had already been given the go ahead to electrify the transport hub, adding that the issue of water would also be attended to speedily.
Mabuyane’s office said the Small-Town Taxi Revitalisation Programme had created job opportunities, contributed to the fight against household poverty and seen contracts awarded to small, micro and medium enterprises and local suppliers since its inception in 2017.
