ONGWEDIVA – Smuggling of fuel from Angola into Namibia has taken a nasty turn, as Namibian police officers and drivers commuting to fuel up their vehicles inside Angola have allegedly become victims of attacks by Angolan fuel smugglers, who are irked by the Namibian government’s decision to tighten control over the illegal trade.
Fuel smugglers, armed with knives and pangas, are now threatening to attack Namibian police officers stationed along the Namibian-Angolan borderline near Oshikango, and they are also attacking Namibian vehicles entering Angola.
According to Ohangwena police spokesperson Andreas Nghiyolwa, Angolan fuel smugglers at Oshikango have become aggressive towards the Namibian law enforcement officers whenever they are confronted during police operations at the borders. “They want to fight the officers, and this has now become regular.
“Some officers do not get out of the vehicles anymore during the operations because they are scared of being attacked. Those Angolans smugglers are now becoming aggressive,” he lamented. Apart from attacks on the police officers, smugglers have also turned against Namibians driving into Angola to fuel up at filling stations at the Angolan border town of Santa Clara.
Angry mobs in the neighbouring country are said to have organised themselves into groups to attack Namibians.
Two vehicles were allegedly severely damaged when a group of Angolan nationals tried to attack Namibian drivers “with stones and knives. The Namibians fled back into the country,” said Nghiyolwa.
He added the Angolan police managed to arrest suspects and have since written a letter to the Namibian police, appealing to the Namibians who were attacked to immediately go back to Angola and open cases against their attackers.
Nghiyolwa has, however, encouraged the victims to first contact the Oshikango police station and not go directly into Angola.
New Era tried to contact the Angolans Consulate in Oshakati but the phone rang unanswered.
Taxi drivers thrive
For the past few months, the Namibian government has been engaging their Angolan counterparts on numerous occasions to work together on fighting cross-border crimes, such as illegal fuel smuggling, firearms smuggling and human trafficking, which have raised serious concerns in both countries.
In the last year, the petrol price in Namibia has almost doubled from around N$12 to around N$22 per litre.
“Ngungula (smuggled petrol) is the only way to survive in the taxi business. We do not fuel up at filling stations anymore; petrol is too expensive, and it does not last.”
These were the words of Tomas Shipepe*, a taxi driver between Oshakati and Eenhana.
The continuous hike in the fuel price is causing taxi drivers a massive financial strain, which prompted the majority of them to resort to illicit fuel from Angola.
New Era visited a taxi rank in Oshakati to observe the operation of the taxis in the northern regions.
Shipepe said his eight-year career in the taxi business could be over in the next few months if fuel remains expensive.
“The spike in fuel prices is a huge burden on us. I am not sure if my career in the ring will even last. I am going to try something else,” he said immediately after forcefully grabbing a customer
from another taxi driver.
He said, “The authorities do not allow us to buy fuel from Angola, and they keep confiscating our containers and arresting us, but how are we expected to make money when the fuel price keeps increasing?”
Asked when last he fueled up at a service station, Shipepe said, “I think last year November. Service stations don’t work for us anymore. That fuel does not even last in the car.”
Shipepe revealed that illicit fuel is their only option because of the vast difference in price. “You can even ask anyone around the taxi rank if they still go to service stations. Only a few do – those with cars that do not take such fuel,” he said.
During an interview with this publication, Shipepe received a call from one of his suppliers of “Ngungula” fuel.
“My containers have arrived. I have to rush quickly,” before he swiftly jumped into his taxi and drove off.
Also speaking to New Era, Shivute Ismael*, another driver, who operates between Oshakati and Outapi, said 25 litres of “Ngungula” fuel cost him N$300, which would cost him N$600 at a service station.
“A 25-litre container can last me three trips to and from Oshakati. But if I fuel up at a service station, only one trip, and I will have to fuel up again,” he said.
Just like Shipepe, Ismael was also rushing to pick up a container of fuel.
He, however, agreed with this reporter to join him at a site where he meets his supplier.
“This is how things work, and the suppliers make so much money from us; it is a booming business – trust me.”
Ismael parked the taxi by the side of the road while he waits for his supplier, who he refers to as “the plug”.
A young woman approached him, carrying a container of fuel, and they pour it into the tank.
Ismael then drove off to continue his fourth trip of the day.
Although these drivers seem to thrive on illicit fuel, Ismael said they do not differentiate the type of fuel they fill up their cars. “It only comes in containers, and we don’t know if it’s diesel or petrol. Today, I might put diesel; tomorrow, petrol – or probably even a mixture of the two,” he laughed it off.
*Due to the fear of victimisation, Tomas Shipepe and Shivute Ismael are not their real names.
– ashikololo@nepc.com.na
– fhamalwa@nepc.com.na