Rail passengers angered by poor Starline train service

FRUSTRATED rail passengers who boarded a train travelling between Windhoek and Keetmanshoop on Friday have hit out at the poor reliability and punctuality of the Starline train service.

The Starline train service is operated by TransNamib. A delay for about three hours resulted in a row between the passengers and Starline train service officials.The train, scheduled to depart at 07h30, only left for Keetmanshoop at 10h45 on Friday.A group of frustrated passengers demanded explanations from officials for the frequent delays they faced when commuting by train to the South.”It has now become common practice that Starline train service ignores its official departure time, resulting in long hours of waiting,” Louisa Jacobs, a regular passenger, shouted at the Starline officials.Despite the anger expressed by enraged passengers, the train officials failed to provide a reasonable explanation.Jacobs told The Namibian that services rendered by Starline have steadily deteriorated over the past two years.”A week ago I travelled on a train without water and lights,” she claimed.Just few minutes after The Namibian reporter was spotted interviewing the angry passengers, the train was ready to depart.Another passenger, Chola Mayuya, urged the Government to hold an inquiry into the frequent train delays.”The Starline train service is totally different in relation to two years back,” he said.The Chief of the //Khau-/Gôan, Daniel Luiperd, also a prominent Swapo figure, condemned the train delay.He accused TransNamib of irresponsibility.”I’m deeply frustrated by the poor punctuality and reliability of the Starline train service,” he said.”They tell you to clock in at 07h00 when one buys the train ticket, but one has to wait long hours before departure time,” he said.Luiperd on Friday saw off his family at the train station.When approached for comment, TransNamib’s Acting Manager Reginald Du Toit told The Namibian on Tuesday that Friday’s delay was caused by a shortage of locomotives.However, he declined to comment on complaints of frequent delays.”I can only comment on the frequent delays when provided with specific dates on which the delays were experienced,” he said.A delay for about three hours resulted in a row between the passengers and Starline train service officials.The train, scheduled to depart at 07h30, only left for Keetmanshoop at 10h45 on Friday.A group of frustrated passengers demanded explanations from officials for the frequent delays they faced when commuting by train to the South.”It has now become common practice that Starline train service ignores its official departure time, resulting in long hours of waiting,” Louisa Jacobs, a regular passenger, shouted at the Starline officials.Despite the anger expressed by enraged passengers, the train officials failed to provide a reasonable explanation.Jacobs told The Namibian that services rendered by Starline have steadily deteriorated over the past two years.”A week ago I travelled on a train without water and lights,” she claimed.Just few minutes after The Namibian reporter was spotted interviewing the angry passengers, the train was ready to depart.Another passenger, Chola Mayuya, urged the Government to hold an inquiry into the frequent train delays.”The Starline train service is totally different in relation to two years back,” he said.The Chief of the //Khau-/Gôan, Daniel Luiperd, also a prominent Swapo figure, condemned the train delay.He accused TransNamib of irresponsibility.”I’m deeply frustrated by the poor punctuality and reliability of the Starline train service,” he said.”They tell you to clock in at 07h00 when one buys the train ticket, but one has to wait long hours before departure time,” he said.Luiperd on Friday saw off his family at the train station.When approached for comment, TransNamib’s Acting Manager Reginald Du Toit told The Namibian on Tuesday that Friday’s delay was caused by a shortage of locomotives.However, he declined to comment on complaints of frequent delays.”I can only comment on the frequent delays when provided with specific dates on which the delays were experienced,” he said.