Taxi fares to go UP!

THE latest petrol and diesel price hikes, which came into effect this morning, will also bring more burdens to those who do not even own vehicles.

Taxi fares are set to go up by 10 per cent this month, hitting those who have no other means of transport to commute between home and work. Petrol is up by 75 cents and diesel by 66 cents a litre.According to Magnus Nangombe, President of the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta), taxi fares will have to be adjusted as a result of the sixth fuel hike this year.”We had a meeting today [Monday] and we still have to consult with our regional branches, but the way it looks, a 10 per cent hike later this month is inevitable,” Nangombe told The Namibian.The lowest one-way taxi fare in Windhoek is N$7 and the increase would come to N$7,70, but according to Nangombe, this would make handling small change difficult.”The possibility is that the adjustment will come to N$7,50.”The Windhoek municipality increased its bus fare by one Namibia dollar from N$6 to N$7 on Monday.The Association of Service Station Owners (Asso) is also feeling the pinch, as their dealer margin on unleaded and lead-replacement petrol has not increased and remains at 46 cents.According to Asso Chairman Rupert Harmse, the Ministry of Mines and Energy increased the dealer margin on diesel by 3 cents for service station owners – from 43 to 46 cents as from today.”Fuel prices are calculated according to a complicated formula and the margins Government must receive, road transport, the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund and others are all worked into the price,” Harmse explained yesterday.”Asso is grateful for the three cent dealer margin on diesel and we are in weekly consultations on the volatile fuel situation, which affects the whole world,” he added.”The Ministry of Mines and Energy might soon calculate fuel prices on a new scientific model worked out by the University of Potchefstroom in South Africa.The Ministry has received their report and this model is already applied in South Africa.”Harmse said there was not much hope of fuel prices dropping soon.”This can only happen if the world crude oil prices stabilise,” he said.Crude oil rose to US$146 over the weekend and eased slightly to just below US$142 yesterday.Petrol is up by 75 cents and diesel by 66 cents a litre.According to Magnus Nangombe, President of the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta), taxi fares will have to be adjusted as a result of the sixth fuel hike this year.”We had a meeting today [Monday] and we still have to consult with our regional branches, but the way it looks, a 10 per cent hike later this month is inevitable,” Nangombe told The Namibian.The lowest one-way taxi fare in Windhoek is N$7 and the increase would come to N$7,70, but according to Nangombe, this would make handling small change difficult.”The possibility is that the adjustment will come to N$7,50.”The Windhoek municipality increased its bus fare by one Namibia dollar from N$6 to N$7 on Monday. The Association of Service Station Owners (Asso) is also feeling the pinch, as their dealer margin on unleaded and lead-replacement petrol has not increased and remains at 46 cents.According to Asso Chairman Rupert Harmse, the Ministry of Mines and Energy increased the dealer margin on diesel by 3 cents for service station owners – from 43 to 46 cents as from today.”Fuel prices are calculated according to a complicated formula and the margins Government must receive, road transport, the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund and others are all worked into the price,” Harmse explained yesterday.”Asso is grateful for the three cent dealer margin on diesel and we are in weekly consultations on the volatile fuel situation, which affects the whole world,” he added.”The Ministry of Mines and Energy might soon calculate fuel prices on a new scientific model worked out by the University of Potchefstroom in South Africa.The Ministry has received their report and this model is already applied in South Africa.”Harmse said there was not much hope of fuel prices dropping soon.”This can only happen if the world crude oil prices stabilise,” he said.Crude oil rose to US$146 over the weekend and eased slightly to just below US$142 yesterday.