Future City Fourways team installs potted plants to prevent taxis from parking on footpaths on Winnie Mandela Drive

Have you ever been walking down a busy street and fearful that a car might suddenly pull into your path due to cars parked on both sides of the street? It’s a concern shared by many residents traveling along Winnie Mandela Road, especially at the intersection where it meets Sunrise Boulevard in Lonehill.

The chaotic arrangement of parked taxis created a narrow passageway, forcing pedestrians to tread carefully as they approached the corner, being acutely aware of their surroundings.

Also read: Taxi Association proposes solution to parking problem in Fourways

But Hans Jooste, managing director of the non-profit company Future City Fourways (FCF), came up with a solution with his team.

“Our members expressed their concerns about taxis starting to line up on the pavement on the road. Pedestrians had to start walking on the toboggan road without seeing oncoming vehicles and were nearly run over.

“Motorists coming down Sunrise Boulevard and turning right onto Winnie Mandela Drive were also unable to see if there was oncoming traffic. We thought the perfect solution would probably be to erect concrete bollards, but this would require digging holes in the asphalt pavement, which we did not have permission for as it was a Gauteng Roads Department road.

Also read: Residents fed up with inadequate parking by taxi drivers in Fourways

He said that they shelved this first solution and moved on to the second solution, which was acceptable to prevent taxis from stopping on the pavement, so they put potted plants.

“We turned to Farm Nursery, also an FCF member, for help. The owners of the nursery donated the pots and we, FCF, supplied the plants.” FCF then glued the flower pots to the pavement. Jooste said that by doing this they were able to achieve two goals, taxis would no longer be able to park on the sidewalk at the intersection, making it safe for everyone to use it, and this completes the area.

“FCF planted and cared for many donated plants in the immediate area. An example is the plants on Sunrise Boulevard at the top of Sunset Boulevard and adjacent to Builders Warehouse. So are the factories next to McDonald’s at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Winnie Mandela Drive. FCF’s Rebothile Tlomatsana waters and cares for all the plants.”

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