Africa-Press – Namibia. WINDHOEK’S taxi drivers are not impressed with the new N$800 million Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security headquarters.
There is no taxi rank near the building, and they cannot access the building’s parking lot, they say. Taxi driver Lukas Wanyangwi says he is not happy that the building costs so much, yet there is nowhere for him to drop off his customers.
He says traffic officials issue them fines for picking up passengers in front of the building. “Where must we park now? It is not our fault that there is no parking outside a building that is regularly visited. The design is not good at all,” Wanyangwi says.
“It is a waste of resources to build something big without a taxi rank. Now we have to drop people off on the road,” he says.
Fillemon Hambia, another taxi driver, says the ministry must reconstruct the building’s entrance and build a taxi rank. He says there is no sign in front of the building to indicate where passengers are to be dropped off.
“They must put up interlocks there and make a taxi rank. The police are chasing us away, but we have no option. They have built something incomplete. We are not allowed to go inside, so where should we drop our customers?” he asks.
Another driver, only known as Edward, says: “I don’t know what type of architect planned a building like that and forgot to include a public taxi rank.”
He says the road in front of the building is narrow and cannot accommodate many taxis at the same time, causing congestion. Ministry spokesperson Magaret Kalo says it is not the ministry’s responsibility to provide a taxi rank, but that of the City of Windhoek.
“As you can see, we have plenty of parking inside for both our customers and staff members,” she says.
“We also see it is a challenge to the public. We see taxis lining up, but there is nothing we can do about it, as it is not our responsibility. We are only responsible for looking after our building,” she says.
City of Windhoek spokesperson Harold Akwenye says government offices do not submit their plans to the municipality for input or advice on public transport and layout.
“However, through the director’s office, the ministry can apply to the city for a taxi rank. The city will investigate and do a layout and submit it to the Ministry of Works and Transport. In the end, the Ministry of Works and Transport approves, proclaims and commissions,” Akwenye says.
He says vehicles are by law not allowed to drop off and pick up passengers while on the road, hence fines are issued. Akwenye says the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association could also submit an application for a taxi rank.
“If there is a need, we will put up a taxi rank.”
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