Martin Endjala
The United People’s Movement (UPM) president, Jan van Wyk, has called for amendments to legislation regulating Namibia’s public transport sector, citing concerns over illegal operators.
He said many public transport operators evade taxes, reducing the sector’s contribution to the economy.
Van Wyk was responding to questions sent to him by the Windhoek Observer, on the current status quo of public transport in the country and how to address it.
“We have realised that the industry has been flooded with illegal operators, which makes it difficult to regulate the industry, especially between local authority boundaries. Therefore, the UPM’s position on amending laws,” he pointed out.
Van Wyk urged the national government to support local authorities by funding infrastructure projects such as transport terminals and road maintenance.
“I personally cannot get proper information on the contribution of the industry to the state coffers (tax). It seems that the bulk of public transport operators are not paying tax,” he stated.
Businessman Silas Ndapuka explained the challenges faced by licensed operators, who must compete with unregulated players.
He said the situation is unbearable and a danger to legitimate operators.
“I have nothing against seven-seaters, but they have become a problem and we now compete with them and they are the ones mostly involved in accidents. We keep asking the government to address this but nothing,” he said.
Ndapuka expressed concerns about the unequal trading conditions in the sector and claimed that many illegal operators are owned by government officials.
He also pointed out land shortages as a significant issue, noting that many operators work in cramped and unsuitable locations.
“Most operators do their business at unconducive places and at times land is very little to handle the volumes of people and vehicles,” he said.
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) president Panduleni Itula warned that while regulation is necessary for safety and sector stability, it could have unintended consequences.
“One may envisage resistance from this sector of our economy legitimately,” he advised.
He warned that stricter regulations could lead to unemployment and poverty for thousands of taxi drivers and their dependents.
He said public transport is critical to economic growth as it provides access to markets and links customers amongst others.
Transport and logistics expert Bruce Liswani identified a lack of coordination between local authorities and the national government as a major obstacle to effective public transport reform.
“I believe this diversity shouldn’t be a problem. Instead, there should be strong collaboration to enhance the productivity and efficiency of public transport, as everyone is working toward a common goal,” he said.
He suggested that expanding infrastructure and implementing supportive policies aligned with the country’s strategic vision could help the sector grow.
