Namibia Roads less congested this year “Nabta”

By: Hendrina Kanyolo

With many travelling to their holiday destinations, Namibian roads saw less congestion this festive season. Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta) Secretary General, Pendapala Nakathingo, said that it seems that most people heard the call to travel earlier to avoid road congestion.

Nakathingo said during the year they worked hard on educational campaigns with bus drivers on defensive driving and other road skills to prevent accidents and road congestion one the roads.

For years, long distance buses at the Monte Christo loading terminal faced challenges of congestion and customers missing their belongings and luggages from being grabbed by those filling up the buses with passengers.

This year Pendapala Nakathingo, the Secretary General of Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (NABTA), said that they saw a difference at the loading terminals. He said that this is due to the new systems put in place. One of such is for the customers to pre-book instead of going to wait at loading terminals for long.

“It is the education that Nabta has been giving to passengers and the drivers. We used to encourage them (passengers) that they must prepare their journey. We have been doing so throughout, when we were giving defensive driving training, first aid, to prepare the drivers for this particular festive season in terms of road safety,” said Nakathingo adding that the message was favourably received.

Nakathingo urged drivers not to speed, overload and abide by road rules.

A long distance bus driver, Kanata Natangwe, who has been operating for over 15 years says that they are faced with the high price of petrol and some of the passengers do not pay the standard prices set by the ministry of Works and Transport.

“The problem we are facing comes from the customers. When they come here, they are aggressive and shouting at other customers they find already seated in the bus. Some say they want to get off the bus because we are taking time to fill up the buses. How can you get out if you didn’t even pay the full amount,” questioned Natangwe.