Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Minister of Transport Hon. Tšoeu Mokeretla will this week embark on a work tour where he will engage the public transport operators on COVID-19 pandemic safety
protocols. This is according to the statement released by the Ministry earlier this week. These proposed deliberations come after the issuance of COVID-19 Health Regulations
Gazette published on August 24th, which allows the public transport operators to carry full capacity of passengers. The statement further says the Minister and the transport stakeholders “will sensitize
public transport operators to monitor and adhere to the World Health Organization (WHO) precautionary measures for safety of all passengers. ” The Ministry has recommended that the transport operators should ensure
availability of sanitizers in their cars at all times. Also, said they should ensure that the passengers always wear masks. The northern streams dialogues will kick-start at Mokhotlong on September 4th
and Butha-Buthe will be next on the 9th. Meanwhile, in the south region, he will be in Mohale’s Hoek on the 11th. Last month the Minister met the Mafeteng taxi operators.
The Spokesperson for the central, north and south regions transport bodies Lebohang Moea said they are not aware of the ongoing Minister’s tours despite being interest group
in the industries of concern. Asked what measures they are taking to ensure compliance on the part of their members concerning COVID-19 health regulations, he said there are sanitizers in the
cars but some drivers and passengers are ignorant. He said it is the responsibility of the passengers to request that they be sanitized when they board taxis.
On loading masked-up passengers, he said they observe that practice but the illegally operating 4+1 taxis ferry them, the practice which he said undermines their
commitment to abide by the regulations. In June the taxi drivers threatened to embark on a stay away motivated by what they had called “the government’s neglect of their business,” as then they were allowed to carry few passengers. However, such stay away did not see the light as the government had engaged them over their demands.
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