PANYAZA Lesufi has learnt the hard way that fixing run-down taxi ranks is important.
The Gauteng premier fell on his backside while trying to jump across dirty running water at a taxi rank in Vereeniging, the Vaal, on Wednesday, 23 November.
Lesufi was in the Sedibeng region with MECs and the mayors of Emfuleni and Sedibeng to hand over the refurbishment project of Vereeniging Taxi Rank to a new contractor, and to oversee the patching of pot holes on a busy road in Sebokeng.
Lesufi told the mayors to work with MECs to fix the area.
He said that they should not just make promises, but follow-up on what they promise the community.
DA member of the provincial legislature Kingsol Chabalala said although the party welcomed the handover to a new contractor, it was disappointed that it took so long for the premier to intervene.
Chabalala said the party had been putting pressure on the government to ensure the taxi rank was refurbished to benefit commuters and businesses in the area.
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He said that the party had conducted a number of oversight inspections and tabled questions in the provincial legislature.
Chabalala said millions of rands had been wasted on the taxi rank with nothing to show for it.
He said that the DA would monitor the progress of the new contractor to ensure work was done within budget and on time.
He said that should the contractor fail to meet the completion date, the party would hold the premier accountable.
