Latest news with #BradleySingh
The Citizen
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Residents willing to go to court if Prestondale taxi ‘holding facility' goes ahead
Residents willing to go to court if Prestondale taxi 'holding facility' goes ahead RESIDENTS of uMhlanga said they are willing to go to court if a plan to build a taxi and bus rank or 'holding facility' on a vacant plot of land in Prestondale is approved. The plan proposes a three-level holding facility with more than 570 bays in Prestondale, next to the Umhlanga Ski Boat Club. In December last year residents voiced their opposition to the plan at a public meeting with city officials and members of the eThekwini Traffic Authority (ETA). The reason to build the rank or holding facility is due to a lack of a designated taxi rank in the uMhlanga CBD. Also read: Historical building in Durban North faces ruin Currently, taxis are parked on the M4 Ruth First Highway off-ramp, and while there is a limited number of bays for taxis on Ridge Road behind Oceans Mall, there are no public transport facilities within the uMhlanga Rocks precinct to hold hundreds of taxis. Ward 35 councillor Bradley Singh, who met with Northglen News at the proposed taxi and bus holding facility site, said the residents would not be bulldozed by the City. 'During the public participation process the City received more than 2000 objections to the proposal. At the moment the City will put its proposal together to present their report to either the town planning committee or the executive committee. The residents have made it very clear that under no circumstance will they be bulldozed by the City and they are willing to fight this in court. 'To build this facility will cost hundreds of millions of rands which the City doesn't have. The biggest issue is the taxis need to go somewhere and we feel the solution is not here in uMhlanga but the alternative site in Cornubia. So while I thank the City for trying to resolve this issue, what they've proposed will impact residents in the uMhlanga Ridge area. Both the residents and I feel Cornubia would be ideal as it would be able to house a large number of taxis. The taxi associations are not too keen on that arrangement, but the status quo cannot stand as there is more congestion within uMhlanga and it's dangerous having so many taxis illegally parked on an off-ramp,' Singh said. For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Umhlanga police station upgrades to enhance community safety
Minister of Public Works Dean Macpherson (right) and eThekwini Ward 35 Councillor Bradley Singh discuss possible upgrades to the Umhlanga police station. Image: Supplied Umhlanga's rapid growth and development needed a police station to meet its demands, said ratepayers when they met with the Minister of Public Works, Dean Macpherson, in Durban on Monday. On Monday, while attending the KwaZulu-Natal Public Works and Infrastructure's Construction Imbizo in Durban, Macpherson complied with eThekwini Ward 35 Councillor Bradley Singh's request to inspect the Umhlanga police station. Singh said the visit resulted in a commitment to address long-standing infrastructure issues at the police station, which was used by the SAPS and Durban metro police. Key interventions agreed upon include: Immediate installation of a perimeter fence to enhance security. Repairs to the main gate to ensure controlled access. Restoration of the generator to full operational capacity. 'The Minister has committed to initiating the process of constructing a permanent building for the Umhlanga Police Station, replacing the current prefabricated structure. This marks a significant step toward establishing a fully functional and dignified facility for both officers and the community,' he said. Singh said that after years of advocacy by residents, their voices were being heard, with the upgrades expected to improve safety and service delivery in Umhlanga. 'The Department of Public Works and SAPS will collaborate closely to expedite the projects, with timelines to be communicated in due course.' Singh said the entire facility, including its grounds and offices, are in a shocking condition and fails to comply with basic health and safety regulations. He added that as a police station serving the Umhlanga community, its current state reflects poorly on the department and undermines public confidence. Terri MacLarty, chairperson Umhlanga Ratepayers and Residents Association (URRA), who was also in attendance at the site visit, said they were delighted with the progress made. She said that ratepayers have been in support of making conditions more workable for the metro police who have been stationed at police stations since September 2022 and have worked under challenging conditions. 'We have engaged with the councillor to prevent metro police from relocating to KwaMashu as a result of poor working conditions and given that development in Umhlanga has rendered it no longer a village, but rather a Central Business District,' she said. MacLarty said it was imperative that the metro policing of by-laws be stepped up and that they needed to have a permanent presence in Umhlanga. 'We are also appealing to eThekwini to increase metro resources to ensure that Umhlanga does not deteriorate, given the lawlessness that is and has crept in. Our thanks to Councillor Bradley Singh for acting swiftly, and we look forward to a temporarily improved and secure station, and ultimately a new structure to service the Umhlanga community, which is long overdue. The metro and SAPS put their lives on the line for us, and they deserve better,' she said. [email protected]
