Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Namibian Public Passenger Transport Association (Nappta) in the Kavango East region has voiced its opposition to the Rundu Town Council’s sale of two plots accommodating a taxi rank for long-distance buses.
In a letter directed to Olavi Nathanael, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the town council, which The Namibian has seen, Nappta says it opposes the sale of the two plots to a private developer who is planning to construct a shopping mall on the plots, and cites a lack of consultation.
The taxi rank, which is largely known as Southern African Development Community (SADC) Square, was constructed at a cost of more than N$1 million by the Lux Development project in partnership with the Rundu Town Council in 2004.
“We are hereby submitting our objection against the decision of the Rundu Town Council to sell erven 2516 and 2683 to the developer to construct a mall on SADC taxi rank,” the letter, signed by the association’s regional vice chairperson, Kalunda Mwengo, reads.
The union says its members have been using the rank to load and offload customers, and it has also served as a parking area for long-distance bus operators since 2003.
“We want to further state that the Rundu Town Council did not consult us before they decided to sell the erf to the developer,” the letter says.
It further states that erven 2516 and 2683 are reserved for the expansion of the taxi rank to accommodate more buses and taxis, as well as informal trading activities.
“We are a registered transport association in Namibia operating under the laws of the Republic of Namibia. We have more transport members who are helping fellow citizens and foreigners from the above-mentioned place to various destinations across the country and SADC at large, and groups of traders who are also making a living from the taxi rank,” the letter reads.
It says the rank creates employment for young Namibians at and around Rundu. The union further suggests that the town council allocate another plot to the developer.
Mwengo says the developer approached the union in November last year to inform them to vacate the area. However, the union says it has refused to do so, and rather approached the town council, which did not respond to its pleas.
Nathanael on Monday confirmed receiving the letter, which he said was part of the process of inviting individuals and interested parties to object to the proposed plans.
He said the council has only received one objection letter, which Nappta submitted, and will consider it if the objections are valid and reasonable. “This is the part of development that we are looking for. This development will create employment, starting from the construction phase to the opening of the mall.
“The developer has even incorporated a taxi rank in his building plan, which means the bus and taxi drivers will benefit from the customers that will come from the mall,” Nathanael said.
