Taxi union seeks answers

The Deputy Minister of Works and Transport, James Sankwasa on Tuesday met with roughly 100 unhappy taxi drivers and members of the Namibia Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU) at the ministry’s head office in Windhoek.
The union has been at loggerheads with the government for months now with union head Werner Januarie threatening as far back as June of this year that his members would march if they see no progress on the implementation of the new public transport plan.
The protest action, which was peaceful, was accompanied by a heavy police presence on Tuesday morning.
Discussions held with Sankwasa included what taxi drivers described as the “harassment by police of taxis”. Sankwasa instructed them to report such members of the police and to secure their identities, they should ask for the police members’ identity cards.
“We want to know what the strategy is for better results in the plan for the reform of public transport in Namibia,” Januarie asked Sankwasa.
The plan, published in June, holds specific deadlines of which some are slated for 30 September.
Sankwasa informed the union members that the government is currently on a fact-finding mission in this regard and is travelling across the country to acquaint themselves of the situation on the ground.
“We need to know what must change and why,” he said, adding, “They have done the Khomas Region and are currently busy in Erongo.”

Earlier in the year, the strategy for the reform of the public transport sector was launched with great fanfare by government. One of the goals in the strategy was for local authorities to provide taxi loading and off-loading points in urban centres.
According to Sankwasa, local authorities have their own challenges that influence their budgetary exspenditure and he told Januarie, “Rome was not built in a day.”
He, however, admitted that loading zones are essential for taxis.
“When you stop to load passengers in the middle of the street you block traffic and furthermore, taxis that stop anywhere are breaking the law. It is high time that both citizens and taxi drivers learn not to get into a taxi anywhere they want.”
He added that the registration of taxis, such as is the case in Windhoek with registration numbers, is being rolled out to the regions.
Januarie wanted to know why the deadlines for the reclassification of taxi drivers in relation to the labour law are not being met. He told Sankwasa that work permits are not being issued to taxi drivers but that foreigners are becoming more and more common in the industry.
“Who appoints them?” Sankwasa asked, “Namibians are appointing foreigners.”
He urged the union to assist government with illegal taxis. He said that Windhoek has 5 000 registered taxis but more than 13 000 are operational. “This is a matter that must be regulated but, tell me, how do the unregistered taxis get into the industry. You tell me? It is your industry.”
Allegedly there is a Whatsapp group that warns taxi drivers of road blocks and Sankwasa asked Januarie to assist them to close this group.
With regards to the high traffic fines, Sankwasa said parliament will discuss the matter as it was brought to the fore by the Swapo Party Youth League. He added that the ministry is also preparing a new curriculum for the training of taxi drivers and is looking for reputable driving schools to provide such training.

AUGETTO GRAIG