Nabta joins NTTU to fight for 20% fare increase

THE Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) on Wednesday announced that they will be joining the Namibia Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU) in fighting for a 20% fare increase.

This comes six days before the NTTU’s planned strike, scheduled to take place next Tuesday.

Nabta’s secretary general, Pendapala Nakathingo, told a media conference that the joint effort will deal with any issues relating to the drivers and owners, ensuring that there are enough taxi ranks as well as deal with high traffic fines.

Nakathingo urged all members of the public transport sector to attend a meeting on Sunday to address issues pertaining to the planned strike.

NTTU president Werner Januarie expressed disappointment over Windhoek City Police chief Abraham Kanime’s sentiments last Sunday that taxi drivers should form their own committees. Kanime held a meeting at the City Police headquarters last week to address taxi drivers on the issues that they face.

According to him, the outcome of the meeting on Sunday was that the taxi drivers would set up committees and give the City Police feedback on their grievances, and the City Police would then try to find solutions.

“It should be noted that in the Roads and Transport Act, there is no union or association mentioned. Therefore, it is not mandatory,” Kanime stated. He added that there are no laws prohibiting the police from talking to the taxi drivers without the union’s input.

However, Januarie was dismissive of these views.

“Kanime is a boy. We, as a trade union, are responsible with Nabta to regulate the public transport industry in this country. He cannot come and form unions on his own. Forming new unions will be redundant and make them useless,” he stressed.

Januarie added that it was insulting for Kanime to suggest that the taxi drivers should form other committees, as the unions are there to make sure that activities are carried out correctly. He said they will only deal with drivers who are their members and of Nabta, and not any other association.

“They (non-members) are refusing to come to the table and discuss matters amicably. They cause us to move backwards,” Januarie continued.

Meanwhile, Kanime said the setting of traffic fines was not “their baby”, so they cannot deal with that issue.