Jaenique Zwartz
(Part 1)
New Era (NE) recently sat down with Melkisedek ‘Melkies’ Ausiku (MA), owner and founder of Lefa Transportation Services (Lefa) as he expounded on the current affairs and operations taking place at Namibia’s first-ever ride-hailing company. He touched on his company’s partnership with Google to map Namibia, and corporate ambitions to involve more women in the country’s professional driving space. This is the first part of the one-on-one interview, with the second part scheduled for next week.
NE: Please tell us about the inspiration behind starting Lefa?
MA: Lefa was born from a place of care for the Namibian nation after doing research on the passenger transportation industry. At the time, we noticed there were a few transportation services which were not meeting everyone’s needs. So, there was a need, or something that was safe, reliable and convenient. By that we mean something that you don’t have to wait for or to flag down. It can be something that is really in your
control, facilitated by technology to ensure the process is efficient and reliable. That’s why we started Lefa, to have a transport service that is safe, reliable and convenient.
NE: The current rise of people getting burgled and assaulted in cabs around the city is trending on social media. How do you ensure the safety and security of your customers and drivers?
MA: We work closely with law- enforcement agencies to ensure we offer a safe transportation service, and we also vet all our drivers thoroughly. None of our drivers have a criminal record, and prove this by an updated criminal records certificate from the Namibian Police. We add an extra layer of security for our customers because our cabs provide safety buttons which customers can press if they feel scared or threatened. This notifies our office, and customers can also nominate someone to be notified in case of an emergency. On top of that, clients can share their ride details in real-time. This includes where you’re being picked up, where you are being dropped along the way, who the driver is, and what car it is. Similarly, all our vehicles are vetted by the Namibian Tourism Board (NTB) where they verify the registration, verify the owner and ensure the seatbelts and air- conditioning are in good working condition. From our side, we have periodic safety checklists that every driver needs to tick before they can be allowed to continue operating.
NE: How long does the process of vetting your drivers take to ensure this level of safety?
MA: For a new driver, it could take up to a week because we need the driver’s criminal conduct certificate. If they need to apply for this, it could take five to 10 days, and drivers should also go to the NTB to assess their vehicle. This process can take up to one or two working weeks to complete. This gives our customers peace of mind, and generates trust in our service.
NE: Do drivers have to pay for that process out of their own pocket, or what incentive does Lefa provide?
MA: Yes, drivers should pay for that out of pocket because it is their vehicle, and they should ensure their car is roadworthy. They also need to ensure the driver they employ has no criminal record because it’s a requirement on our platform. All the drivers need to complete a first aid training course, which is a requirement from the NTB. Also, the cars need to have fire extinguishers, and that is their own responsibility as vehicle drivers if they wish to be part of our platform. The incentive to be part of our platform is that we provide all the marketing and clientele. We also reward our high-performing drivers through our partnership with Shell, where we give them fuel vouchers and cash prizes. In the near future, we will start a new incentive where drivers will be given a chance to own their personal vehicles over the span of three to six months and start their own business.
NE: What marketing strategies have you found to be most effective in growing Lefa?
MA: Namibia Breweries became a partner of Lefa because one of Lefa’s core objectives is to reduce the bad habits that we have as Namibians of driving under the influence of alcohol. So, we partnered with them to provide alternative transportation to people going out to events because during our research, we interviewed people and posed the question of: Have you ever operated a vehicle under the influence of alcohol?
Overwhelmingly, almost everyone said yes. The next question was why, and most people spoke about their fear of being robbed in a taxi, and not having a reliable alternative transport system. This partnership with Namibia Breweries remains by offering people safe and reliable transport services to eradicate drunk driving. As for marketing, our most vital strategy was focusing on safety, reliability and efficiency as this allows customers to trust our service, and to refer our service to others.
NE: With regards to the Google project to map Namibia, what does this entail for Lefa?
MA: Two years ago, we noticed that some of the streets in Windhoek either were not present on Google maps, or the names were not updated. As a company that relies heavily on Google Maps, we came across a lot of challenges where drivers could not locate clients, or they were being taken to the wrong locations which are not updated, or do not exist at all. We pitched an idea to Google via email, stating we are a company operating in Namibia, and we offer transportation services. We informed Google about the challenges on Google Maps. After several referrals to various offices, Google eventually offered to map the entire Namibia.
We received a contract to map Namibia on Google Streetview, which is a 360 degrees’ platform on Google Maps. This allows for the viewing of any street in the country before you go
there.
This technology also captures street
names automatically. So, we do not have to go out and physically say this street is a new name as the cameras themselves identify the names, and automatically update
it. The project took a long time; it was not a tender. It was us identifying a
gap in the market which led to us securing this project.