Increase in taxi fares on cards

TRANSPORT fares are set to increase if the Ministry of Transport and Communication approves a request for price adjustments submitted by the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta).

Addressing a press conference in Windhoek yesterday, Nabta Secretary Andreas Nuule said the association had submitted its recommendations and would wait for the Ministry’s response. He declined to disclose the amount or percentage by which the association is seeking to increase its fares, saying it would appear as if Nabta was “negotiating through the media”.Nuule said negotiations with the Ministry could take as long as three months, but Nabta would try to push for a speedy agreement.He also stressed that everything was being done in accordance with the law.The latest move by Nabta follows an announcement by the Ministry of Mines and Energy this week that the price of petrol will go up by 39 cents a litre next week.Diesel will cost 38 cents a litre more.Nabta, which has a membership of around 1 000, described the fuel price increase as unfortunate and Nuule said demand for public transportation was not very high, but business had to go on.Consumers will be hard hit, as the fuel price hike is likely to cause a ripple effect in the cost of basic goods and services.The last transport fare hike was in August last year, when the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication gave the go-ahead for taxi operators to increase their fares by 10 per cent.He declined to disclose the amount or percentage by which the association is seeking to increase its fares, saying it would appear as if Nabta was “negotiating through the media”.Nuule said negotiations with the Ministry could take as long as three months, but Nabta would try to push for a speedy agreement.He also stressed that everything was being done in accordance with the law.The latest move by Nabta follows an announcement by the Ministry of Mines and Energy this week that the price of petrol will go up by 39 cents a litre next week.Diesel will cost 38 cents a litre more.Nabta, which has a membership of around 1 000, described the fuel price increase as unfortunate and Nuule said demand for public transportation was not very high, but business had to go on.Consumers will be hard hit, as the fuel price hike is likely to cause a ripple effect in the cost of basic goods and services.The last transport fare hike was in August last year, when the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication gave the go-ahead for taxi operators to increase their fares by 10 per cent.