Africa-Press – Namibia. Some Rehoboth taxi owners are up in arms over the recent rise of pirate taxis at the town.
The owners have expressed concern, saying pirate taxis cause various complications at the town, such as offering no client safety and taking away income from legal owners.
One taxi owner, Bernard van Wyk, says the taxis operating illegally in the town have increased to almost 55.
Van Wyk says transporting passengers without proper authorisation is not legal and urges all vehicle owners transporting passengers for reward to obtain transportation permits and the necessary authorisation.
“Every year at Rehoboth, there is an increase in pirate taxis. Our country has laws and it is important for everyone to follow them at all times. It is a long process to do things legally, but it must be done,” Van Wyk says.
He says unauthorised vehicles are taking bread from their tables.
“We struggle to financially survive. Some clients prefer to drive with pirate taxis because they would sometimes not pay the full price and this is not right. We, legalised owners and drivers, are putting in the time and effort to make sure our cars are legal. We also have to pay for various documents,” Van Wyk says.
Taxi owner Gert Beukes says they have made various complaints to the traffic department, but these have fallen on deaf ears.
“The law is failing us. We complain, but nothing is being done. We really don’t know what to do anymore. If things don’t change then we feel that it is not needed for us legalised owners and drivers to get the required documentation anymore, because we are just losing out,” he says.
Beukes says client safety is very important in the industry, and some pirate taxis do not care about this because most of them are not passionate about what they do. Beukes says, in most cases, clients struggle to get their belongings back after losing it in a pirate taxi.
“Most clients don’t look for legality when they enter a taxi and they end up getting into a pirate taxi. Sometimes a client would lose their cell phone or groceries, and then we can’t find the taxi because it is not operating legally.
“Whenever this happens, it gives us a bad name, because clients would be of the opinion that all taxi drivers are like that,” Beukes says.
Another taxi owner, Nelson Platt, says he fears violence breaking out.
He says whenever pirate taxi owners and drivers are told they must not transport passengers, they start arguments and fights.
“I was one day told by a pirate taxi driver that he will take my head off if I address the matter to him ever again. Violence is really not needed. As an authorised taxi owner, I just want things to be done the right way,” Platt says.
Platt urges pirate taxis operating at the town to come to an end.
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