Commuters travelling between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund are paying more than the government-approved taxi fare.
The Regional Road Public Passenger Fare Structure sets the approved fare between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund at N$58 after the 15% fare increase announced by works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi in May.
However, The Namibian established that commuters on the route are being charged N$70, exceeding the approved fare.
A taxi operator, who requested anonymity, says the approved increase was too small to make a meaningful difference to operators already grappling with rising operating costs.
“An increase of about N$8 was not a lot. It doesn’t really make a difference when you consider the price of fuel, vehicle maintenance, tyres and spare parts,” the operator says.
He says many operators are struggling to keep their businesses afloat amid increasing running costs.
The Namibian Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU) says it was unhappy with the government’s previous fare adjustment.
“Even the past increment, as NTTU, we are not satisfied with that one. Actually, we wanted a higher threshold, let’s say N$18 [more] for now, that is what we want,” NTTU president Werner Januarie says.
He adds that the union believes the industry faces broader challenges than fares alone.
For commuters, however, the higher fare is adding pressure to already stretched household budgets.
Walvis Bay resident Maria Kambonde, who travels regularly between the two towns for work, says even a small increase has a noticeable impact over time.
“It may only be a few dollars, but if you travel almost every day, it becomes a significant expense at the end of the month. We depend on taxis because there aren’t many alternatives,” she says.
Another commuter says passengers have little choice but to pay the charged fees.
“If you need to get to work or home, you pay what the driver asks. We know what was announced, but what we’re paying is more,” the commuter says.
When announcing the fare adjustment in May, Nekundi said the ministry had approved a 15% increase after consultations with the Road Transportation Board of Namibia and transport stakeholders. The increase raised the standard urban taxi fare by 15% from N$13 to N$15, despite a 30% hike requested by the Public Passenger Transport Association, citing rising fuel prices and the absence of any fare adjustment since 2021.
At the time, Nekundi urged operators to implement the approved fares responsibly and in compliance with the Road Traffic and Transportation Act, while assuring the public that the government remains committed to balancing affordable transport with the sustainability of the passenger transport industry.
