Africa-Press – Eswatini. Members of Parliament think that paying E13 for a short distance in the proposed bus fare hike is too much for the commuters. Instead, they have proposed hiking bus fares from E7.70 to E10 for the short distances. However, and as can be expected, this proposal by MPs was met with a counter proposal by the Swaziland National Transport Association.
This took place yesterday in Parliament during a meeting by the ministry of public works and transport portfolio committee chaired by MP Robert Magongo. Public transport operators want to hike bus fares by between five and 62 per cent, depending on the distance.
Public transport workers have vowed that there will be no kombis today from 9.00am until noon as they push for their demands to be met.
Last week the ministry of public works and transport portfolio committee was granted five days to table a report on the Maximum Bus Fare (Amendment) Regulations, 2022.
Expected
The recommendations that were made yesterday are expected to be debated at a tentative date, which will be after or before 25 March. During the meeting MPs raised concerns that most textile workers will have a difficulty affording bus fares if the E13 local charge is given the green light. They said some would be forced to walk to work, which would in turn affect the public transport operators. The MPs suggested that the charge be at least E10 for local trips.
They said they understood that these prices were pushed by the escalating fuel prices and other commodities.
Public transport operators, on the hand, have made a compelling case, challenging MPs with their counter proposal. They said if they were to accept the E10 hike as opposed to the E13, MPs would also have take into consideration reviewing prices for processing documents such as permits at the ministry of public works and transport.
They said they wanted the prices for processing such documents to be reduced as this would mean that they were meeting each other halfway.
Proposal Former chairman of the National Road Transport Council (NRTC), Sihlangu Nhlabatsi, confirmed that MPs submitted a proposal which they would consider. Nhlabatsi said in turn they also made a counter proposal which called for the reviewing of prices for documents processed at the ministry of public works.
The Chairman of the Committee MP Magongo also confirmed the meeting with the operators.
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