Leribe, June.13 — The floods experienced in the month of May have forced Hlotse Taxi Rank to move from its temporary place due to mud to the tarred road near the old magistrate court.

The taxi rank has been moved to the temporary place because of the construction of the new one which has been under construction until 2023.

The agency learned that the business community decided to move near the tarred road into Hlotse town as their vehicles got stuck in the rank.

In an interview with the agency, Bochabela Transport Operation Region (Northern Region) Treasurer Mr. Molibeli Tefo confirmed that the taxi rank has again been moved near the old magistrate court because of the moist, mud and water.

He explained that the temporary taxi rank is slippery due to mud, causing the vehicles to collide while others get stuck and others get their parts broken thus needing maintenance often.

Mr. Tefo further explained to the agency that they agreed with Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) Traffic Department to move from the muddy rank to where they are currently.

"The police had to interfere now and then because of the accidents reported," she stated.

Moreover, he said the matter was reported to District Administrator (DA) and District Council Secretary (DCS).

He indicated that the two took a stand in making sure that the quarry was delivery to the muddy taxi rank so that after the area has attained dryness the quarry be levelled up.

However, he said they are making the plea to the government to level up the temporary rank with cement so as to use it as permanent rank.

"The permanent taxi rank is not spacious to accommodate all the vehicles," he stated.

In response to how the business has been affected by the movement of the taxi rank, the Secretary of Kopanang Baits'ukuli Mrs. Mapitso Malefane said the movement is causing their businesses to be on standstill.

She mentioned that others even had to change from selling food to fruits so as to generate income on daily basis.

"We are not making high sales as we always did because we are also not able to move our stoves and pots to the current rank,” she stated.

In an interview one of the street vendors Mr. Thabo Pents'i said the heavy rains destroyed the temporary rank causing the flow of water all over the rank.

Again, he said this also affected their businesses as they were not able to go around taxis and buses selling their food and other products.

Pents'i indicated that the decision taken by the transport owners and drivers to move is good but at the same time is affecting the street vendors negatively.

In response to the matter District Administrator Mr. Letsema Khalanyane said he learned about the temporary muddy taxi rank and it was discovered quarry would ease the situation.

He said the currently build taxi rank is not big enough to accomodate the vehicles due to many buildings within it.

Mr. Khalanyane indicated that the muddy taxi rank needs to be levelled up so it will also be used permanently to allow moderate flow of vehicles.

The agency has learned that the temporary taxi rank is muddy and rain and tap water is flowing all over.

Image by Daily Sun