BUS FARE STORM Public transport operators reject proposed fare increase, demand more
A storm is brewing between government and bus operators over transport fare increases expected to hit public transport users in April.
Assistant Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Keoagile Atamelang, has been dropping numbers at kgotla meetings, suggesting that Special Taxi fare for instance, will increace from P33 to P36. The figures shared by Assistant Minister Atamelang also suggest that Shared Taxi fare will increase to P10 from P8, with buses nudging up from 36 to 38 thebe per kilometre on tarred roads.
Rising costs spark tension in transport fare talks
However, bus operators are not impressed. In fact, they are calling those figures yesterday’s news.
Bus Operators Association chairperson, Tirafalo Mponang, made it clear that the 2 thebe increase once floated is off the table.
“We shared those figures when we were expecting government to hear us last year. The situation has since changed, and proper discussions are now expected to take place because operating conditions have worsened,” he said, adding that operators are choking under inflation made worse by fuel prices climbing, spare parts draining pockets and maintenance costs eating into margins.
“That was then. Now we will be coming to the table with prices that reflect the realities we are facing. Everything is expensive,” Mponang added.
The association is preparing fresh proposals, determined to put numbers on the table that match the grind of keeping public transport alive. Negotiations with government are expected to continue, with hopes of striking a deal before the end of next month.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister Atamelang’s figures continue to circulate, sparking confusion and debate. The Ministry of Transport has since stepped in, stressing that the numbers are not yet confirmed, only at proposal stage.
PULA24 SAYS: So here we are folks: commuters are bracing for hikes; operators are demanding realism, and government is trying to keep the peace. Yet April is around the corner, and the fare storm is gathering momentum. The fare fight is far from over. Where do you stand in this tug-of-war?
