Oshakati public transportation in disarray

OSHAKATI, 26 JUL – The Oshakati Town Council is failing to exercise control over unauthorised bus and taxi terminals at the Okatana Service Station and in front of the Ministry of Finance’s Receiver of Revenue office at the town.
Bus and taxi operators started operations at the terminals without the consent of the council and continue to load and offload commuters at the two sites for the past year.
The Receiver of Revenue office terminal is more challenging, as this is where commuters are habitually pulled by operators into taxis not of their choice.
The immediate street in front of this office also remains chaotically occupied with taxis parked all over, whilst operators are wrestling amongst each other for customers travelling to the Omusati Region.
Parking of taxis all over this street hinders smooth movement of other motorists such as those visiting the Receiver of Revenue, the nearby Angolan Consulate office and business outlets.
“The town council is reluctant in creating a proper taxi rank for us in this area,” replied the taxi operators when Nampa on Wednesday asked them why they operate from the unconducive site.
They were also quick to demand that the council provide proper terminals or a taxi rank with shade structures and toilet facilities in the same area.
Unauthorised bus operators at the Okatana Service Station passageway on their part told this news agency that they refuse to operate from the official terminal the council has established at the new open market as it is not strategically located.
Approached for comment, the council’s spokesperson, Katarina Kamari on Wednesday admitted that the said two terminals have become a headache to the council as they are causing anarchy in the town’s transportation business.
“The absence of a bylaw to regulate transportation in our town prevents the council from proper control over these bus and taxi operators,” Kamari noted, adding that the council is consulting its lawyers in order to come up with such a law in the near future.
Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (NABTA) secretary-general, Pendapala Nakathingo told this news agency on Thursday that his association is hard at work to restore order in the transportation industry.
“I am much familiar with the chaotic situation prevailing at the revenue office and powerful urgent action will be taken at that site very soon,” Nakathingo replied.
(NAMPA)