Namibia Economist (Windhoek)
30 October 2009
Windhoek — The Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) is powerless when it comes to enforcing rules regarding speeding and overloading and can only advise its members that these offences are dangerous and could result in death, said Innocent Simasiku, vice-president of Nabta.
He further said a turn-around strategy for the public transport industry has started over four years ago and could have made many achievements had all stakeholders been involved.
"The turn-around strategy started in 2005. We could have achieved a lot if all the stakeholders involved were committed. But nevertheless, the developments are visible now.
Our objective was to have all the busses and taxis painted with one colour, but the Ministry of Works and Transport said the idea has to be gazetted first," Simasiku said.
A meeting between the various stakeholders including members of Nabta and the ministry is scheduled for 7 November, where issues such as the identification of long-distance buses and taxis will be discussed.
"All our representatives from the 13 regions were invited to the meeting and we are busy working on a strategy for long distance buses. What is lacking in the transport sector is a regulatory law," said Simasiku.
The current public transport Act of 1977 is to be amended to allow for all taxis to be painted in specific colours and to transfer the controlling of public transport and the issuing of public transport permits from the Ministry of Works and Transport to local authorities.
The amended Act will only be passed in 2010.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Namibia Economist. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
