Africa-Press – Namibia. A NUMBER of people who want to venture into the taxi operation business in Oshana region have called for investigations into the issuing of road permits by the Ministry of Works and Transport.
“We do not know why the ministry is allowing people to rent out their permits, and this has been going on for a very long time now. Where did the business of renting out permits originate from and how did it pass the acts,” asked Errki Thomas who is the leader of a concerned group.
“We are also of the opinion that the ministry officials responsible for approving permits must be investigated to see whether they are in possession of taxi permits and how many are registered in their names. These officials must then be punished accordingly if found to have more than five permits, in accordance with to the law.
“We believe they are the ones who created the loopholes for permits to be rented out while delaying the process of issuing permits to applicants. As a movement, we cannot allow our people to lose their hard-earned properties due to corrupt officials who see it fit to bypass laws they should uphold,” he charged.
“As it is, a taxi permit can be rented for N$500 and N$1000 per month and one can buy it for between N$5 000 and N$7 000. For one to rent a public transport permit (PTP), you are required to transfer your vehicle to the permit owner which will then operate under their name. This permit owner can claim ownership of the vehicle and, or sell it since the vehicle is fully registered in their name,” he added.
Another hopeful taxi permit applicant says he has given up all hopes, of acquiring his own taxi operator’s permit.
“This has gone on for too long now. It is not possible that one has to wait for close to seven years to receive responses on the applications for permits only to be declined, while people within the systems have permits which they would rent out to us on the side and they don’t even own taxis.
“Why does everything in this country have to be unfair and corrupt? This is not right at all. This causes more suffering for us ordinary citizens,” charged Wilhelm Nadonya of Oshakati.
Liaison officer for the ministry Julius Ngwedha said the public transport permits are currently issued by the road transport board, adding that the reason why many people’s applications are turned down is simply because they did not meet the requirements in place.
“The ministry has given that responsibility to the road transport board who issue permits on its behalf. I don’t see any reason why people should say they are being denied the permits, the problem with our people is that they don’t understand that there are procedures and requirements that have to be followed.
“They need to have valid reasons for wanting these permits and also if they know of certain officials in the ministry who own numerous permits as they claim, then they should come and report that to us. We are tired of corruption,” said Ngwedha.
Section 31 (1)(f) of the Road Transport Act of 1977 (act 74 of 1977) stipulates that any one person who is a holder of a taxi permit and makes the permit available to another person to undertake road transportation, is guilty of an offence.
However, today in Namibia about 80% of the taxi business population operates on rented taxi licences, a situation brought about by the long wait to obtain these permits.
