Rundu taxis snub potholed suburbs
27 February 2020 | Local News
Taxi drivers at Rundu have decided not to transport customers going to certain parts of the town because of potholed roads, which they say have the potential to damage their vehicles and cost them thousands of dollars.
The recent heavy rainfall is the main contributor to roads at Rundu being unbearable, but the town council is also being blamed for not investing in road infrastructure.
The taxi drivers said they will not risk their vehicles amid humongous potholes all over the town, be it on gravel or tar.
They stressed it is better to sacrifice the N$12 taxi fare and find customers going to areas where roads are not damaged.
Taxi driver Immanuel Ndjola told Namibian Sun yesterday he decided not to load customers going to certain parts of the town such as Kehemu location, where there are plenty of potholes.
“As a taxi driver, the roads are bad. Everywhere in Rundu there are potholes, including on the tarred roads, especially the tarred road opposite Ngondo Primary School. It is very bad as the tarred road is now just like a gravel road. It is full of potholes and, really, I am not happy,” Ndjola said.
“I even refuse to drive in Kehemu; there is a pool of water, my brother, and the whole car and my fog lights have to drive in there.”
He demanded that council repairs the roads as soon as possible.
“The Rundu town council must live up to their mandate, which is to create a conducive environment for us. The people suffering the most are those who need to take a taxi to the area where taxis are not willing to drive. As you know, we are in the rainy season,” he said.
Motorist Feliciano Tjameya said council urgently needs to address the issue.
Tjameya advised they should at least re-gravel the roads while they seek funds to upgrade them to bitumen standard.
A number of motorists shared similar sentiments.
Town council spokesperson Benjamin Makayi did not respond to questions by the time of going to print.
Namibian Sun enquired what council's plans are to address the road infrastructure woes.
Prior to the rainy season, the council had made efforts to re-gravel roads in town, but the project was halted.
Kenya Kambowe
The recent heavy rainfall is the main contributor to roads at Rundu being unbearable, but the town council is also being blamed for not investing in road infrastructure.
The taxi drivers said they will not risk their vehicles amid humongous potholes all over the town, be it on gravel or tar.
They stressed it is better to sacrifice the N$12 taxi fare and find customers going to areas where roads are not damaged.
Taxi driver Immanuel Ndjola told Namibian Sun yesterday he decided not to load customers going to certain parts of the town such as Kehemu location, where there are plenty of potholes.
“As a taxi driver, the roads are bad. Everywhere in Rundu there are potholes, including on the tarred roads, especially the tarred road opposite Ngondo Primary School. It is very bad as the tarred road is now just like a gravel road. It is full of potholes and, really, I am not happy,” Ndjola said.
“I even refuse to drive in Kehemu; there is a pool of water, my brother, and the whole car and my fog lights have to drive in there.”
He demanded that council repairs the roads as soon as possible.
“The Rundu town council must live up to their mandate, which is to create a conducive environment for us. The people suffering the most are those who need to take a taxi to the area where taxis are not willing to drive. As you know, we are in the rainy season,” he said.
Motorist Feliciano Tjameya said council urgently needs to address the issue.
Tjameya advised they should at least re-gravel the roads while they seek funds to upgrade them to bitumen standard.
A number of motorists shared similar sentiments.
Town council spokesperson Benjamin Makayi did not respond to questions by the time of going to print.
Namibian Sun enquired what council's plans are to address the road infrastructure woes.
Prior to the rainy season, the council had made efforts to re-gravel roads in town, but the project was halted.
Kenya Kambowe
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