Mutorwa warns against unapproved taxi fares

WORKS minister John Mutorwa yesterday warned taxi unions to refrain from charging unapproved taxi fares while urging members of the public to remain calm in the face of uncertainty over the fares.

The minister told a press conference at his office yesterday that he received the fare increase proposals from the three taxi associations, and they have been sent to the road transportation board for consideration.

The minister received proposals from the Namibia Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU), the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) and the Namibia Public Passenger Transport Association (NPPTA).

Mutorwa said he received applications for taxi fare increments of 50% from the NTTU, which represents the interests of the taxi drivers; a proposal of 20% from Nabta, which represents the interests of the taxi operators; and 10% from the NPPTA, which also represent the interests of the taxi operators.

The minister said an assessment will be conducted in consultation with all stakeholders who might be affected by the decision on taxi fare increases, and that economic factors will also be considered to strike a balance.

After a decision is made by the road transportation board, the applicants will be informed, and in the case where the request for a fare increase has been approved, the public will be notified. He further reassured commuters that until then, the taxi fares will remain unchanged.

“I, therefore, appeal to all members of the public to remain calm. At the same time, I request the taxi operators/drivers to refrain from charging fares that have not been approved by the road transportation board as per the legal framework,” he stressed.

Mutorwa also noted that failure by taxi operators/drivers to comply with permit conditions will result in the transportation board withdrawing or suspending the permits at any time if it has been established that the circumstances under which such permit was granted have changed.

“I would like to equally urge our law enforcement agencies to enforce the law by ensuring that operators/taxi drivers comply with the public carrier permit conditions now in existence,” he said, adding that any violation of that is deemed a criminal offence.

The Road Traffic and Transport Act 22 of 1999 states that a holder of a public permit authorised to convey persons for reward may at any time after any increase in the price of petrol increase the tariffs by not more than 10%. Therefore, the taxi union’s plan to increase the fees to 50% is seen as illegal.

This week, the NTTU sparked panic among members of the public, mostly on social media, when the union announced a new taxi fares list, which would have seen commuters paying between N$15 and N$75 per trip.

One Twitter user, Vince Nowaseb @dibango17, said: “I wonder what it would’ve been like if petrol prices skyrocketed by a staggering 50%, what then??? I’m totally against the 50% increment… N$12 is reasonable.”

Another, Penda Iilonga @IilongaPenda said: “This is daylight robbery! Whoever is moving this high pricing agenda should think who the customers of the taxi services are. Their source of income and purpose of using taxis. That association should be abolished; it does not serve any purpose for the customers.”

The taxi union has been fighting for a fare increase since February when they initially proposed a 20% hike.

NTTU president Werner Januarie this week said the high cost of living, high vehicle maintenance costs, and high petrol and fuel prices were among the reasons they wanted such a huge fare increase.

The last taxi fare increase was in 2014 when it rose from N$9 to N$10 per trip after the Nabta held negotiations with the government.