At least R324-million has been spent on a new taxi rank in Thohoyandou but it is still not complete after 15 years.
The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) in Vhembe has called for the long-delayed Thohoyandou taxi rank to be completed.
Commuters in Thohoyandou have for years relied on three informal taxi ranks, serving about 5,000 commuters daily, without proper shelter.
The announcement that a new, state-of-the-art taxi rank would be built was met with enthusiasm. Construction began in 2011 but the initial budget of R275-million was spent without the project nearing completion.
In December 2025, the bill stood at R311-million.
During her State of the Province Address earlier this year, Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba said the taxi rank was among stalled projects on which progress was being made. But residents and taxi operators say there is no progress to be seen.
A recent visit to the site by Limpopo Mirror revealed minimal activity. Resident Mashudu Mudau said the unfinished structure has become a safety risk.
“Criminals continue to hide at this massive infrastructure, and many residents have been mugged here. We are pleading with the government to fast-track the revamping for our own safety,” he said.
SANTACO Vhembe chairperson Tshimangadzo Mphigalale said the continued delays were unacceptable.
“During the rainy season, we see passengers suffering and getting wet while waiting for transport,” he said.
He said that despite repeated funding announcements, there was little to show.
“Every year, we hear about millions being allocated, but there is nothing visible,” he said.
The Independent Development Trust (IDT) chief executive Sfiso Nsibande said R47-million had been allocated to complete the taxi rank, of which R13-million had already been spent.
This is for remedial works and a supplementary water system.
Matorokisi Holdings, appointed in September 2025 with a budget of R40.6-million, is responsible for completing the project. Work includes refurbishing existing buildings, waterproofing roofs, and carrying out civil, mechanical and electrical works, as well as installing a supplementary water system.
The current completion date is 26 August 2026.
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Inadequate healthcare: Limited access to quality healthcare services.
Moon Orchid
Van is getting married, but he and his fiancee have never done the deed – in fact he\’s never been with any woman before. He\’s getting more and more nervous as the big day approaches, so he confides in his friend. His friend says \’No worries man. I\’ll come by the honeymoon suite before you guys get there, and I\’ll hide behind the curtain, and I\’ll whisper instructions to you.\’
\’You\’d do that for me?\’
\’Sure thing man!\’
So the wedding day arrives, it was a lovely service (so I was told, I wasn\’t there myself) and Van\’s friend sneaks into the honeymoon suite as promised and hides behind the curtain.
Van and his new wife arrive in the room, get settled on the bed, and things are getting steamy.
But Van is still super nervous and his tummy is bubbling, so he murmers to his wife, \’Listen babe, I\’m just gonna go to the bathroom quick. I think it\’s that wors roll from earlier.\’
\’Sure thing babe.\’
So Van goes into the bathroom, and he\’s taking quite a long time. And his wife is starting to feel the nerves herself. And it\’s getting worse. She can\’t hold it in. But she doesn\’t want to go after he\’s gone and totally ruin the mood. So she looks around and finally finds a shoebox. Quickly, she does her business in the shoebox, and she shoves it under the bed just as Van comes back from the loo.
Van gets back on the bed and they go at it again. But after a minute or so Van smells something not so lekker.
\’What\’s that smell?\’
\’Nothing babe,\’ he wife tries to assure him.
\’No man there\’s definitely something not so lekker in this room!\’VSo Van starts looking around the room, in the corners, in the cupboard, and finally he looks under the bed, and sees the shoebox.
He pull it out, and opens it up, and in horror he shouts \’Sies! Daar\’s kak in hierdie doos!\’
And from behind the curtain his friend yells, \’NEE MAN, DRAAI HAAR OM!\”
Star Sword
Fun South African Fact: The meandering 850km road through Cape Winelands is the world’s longest wine route.