Chinese enter transport industry

The Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) has lodged a complaint with the Ohangwena police to investigate allegations that Chinese businesses at Oshikango have infiltrated the transport sector by introducing free bus transport. Nabta chairperson Pendapala Nakathingo told Namibian Sun that as if dominating the industrial sector was not enough, Chinese businesses are now threatening the livelihood of taxi drivers by transporting people to all the main Chinese-owned shopping complexes. This, he says, is done without the necessary public transport permits. “We have taken up the matter with the police and now we are waiting for investigations to be conducted so that necessary steps can be taken,” said Nakathingo. Taxi drivers at Oshikango have for years been complaining about 14-seater minibuses that go around Oshikango transporting people – mainly Angolans on one-day shopping trips to Namibia – from and to major Chinese complexes in Oshikango. These complexes include China Village, Freedom Square and Dragon City. Taxi drivers who spoke to Namibian Sun claim that the Toyota minibuses drive to the Oshikango border post to collect customers and transport them to the shopping complexes at no charge. “We don’t even bother going to the border to pick up people anymore because we know we don’t stand a chance. What customer will climb in a taxi and pay when there is free transport available,” said one taxi driver. Another taxi driver said that the buses also make several stops en route to different Chinese-owned complexes around the town. “They claim they take passengers to all the main Chinese complexes, but in between customers are free to jump off. This is money out of our pockets,” said the taxi driver. Nakathingo says foreigners are not allowed to join the transport industry as Namibians are more than capable of rendering services in the industry. Nakathingo says foreign investors in the country are supposed to venture into sectors where local people don’t have the know-how and the transport industry is not one of those sectors with a shortfall. “In terms of the law and as per information we have received, what the Chinese are doing is illegal. Some don’t have permits and others are operating with forged permits. “Free transport for what? If indeed it is free transport, why only to the Chinese-owned businesses. This is a form of bribe and the matter should be investigated,” said Nakathingo. OSHIKANGO MERJA IILEKA