WINDHOEK – A new taxi and bus association called the Namibia Transport Reform Association (NTRA) established last year has warned loading masters to stop victimising passengers by forcefully loading them into buses.
Loading masters are notorious for grabbing unwilling passengers’ luggage, resulting in passengers reluctantly boarding the buses into which their luggage has been loaded without their explicit consent.
Over the years, passengers especially at Monte Cristo loading point in Windhoek and Oshakati open market have had to endure harsh treatment from loading masters, who forcefully remove their goods before they willingly buy tickets for the trip for which they are left without choice.
Such a situation has led to many customers losing their valuable goods in the process and consequently without any action taken against the loading masters.
In a recent interview NTRA president, Victoria Kauluma said such illegal practices should come to an end with immediate effect.
“There are so many public transport associations in the country but up to now you find customers being abused, especially at the loading points whereby loading masters are pulling and grabbing their luggage against their will. We want these illegal practices to stop with immediate effect,” she cautioned.
Asked how she plans to achieve this, she urged town councils countrywide to allocate land for the establishment of proper terminal loading zones.
She says such zones will have tight security to ensure no customer is abused or coerced into boarding any of the buses and that passengers have the right of choice.
“Currently, we don’t have proper loading zones; people are just operating as they wish. We also want a taxi rank from town to the University of Namibia (Unam) for students. At the moment, there is no taxi rank since taxis are not allowed to stop and load at KFC in town,” Kauluma noted.
She also warned people operating illegally without public transport permits on the country’s national roads, especially sedan vehicles as they risk the lives of passengers and other road users.
Kauluma said her organisation, which was certified last year as per Section 57 of the Labour Act, Act 11 of 2007, has so far registered 2 800 members countrywide.
“We will not tolerate harassment of our customers,” she assured commuters.
The country also has other public transport organisations such as the Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) and Namibia Public Passenger Transport Association (NPPTA) that have had protracted disputes over recognition by government.
Kauluma said they would also open branches in Lüderitz, Hardap, Grootfontein, Gobabis, Eenhana, Oshakati, Okahao, Walvis Bay and Tsumeb and they also intend to open a new one in the Zambezi Region.