ONGWEDIVA — Commissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria, Oshana Regional Commander of the Namibian Police Force, emphasized the urgent need for distinctive markings on taxis to facilitate easier identification and enhance public safety. This statement was made during the official opening of a three-day workshop in Ongwediva, organized by the Ministry of Works and Transport, focusing on public passenger road transportation within municipal or town areas.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the proposed marking of taxis is seen as a crucial measure to deter crime and decrease illegal activities, especially in the northern regions of Namibia. "Our people are being robbed by fake taxis, making it impossible for them to be apprehended as most of them operate at night due to the fear of being detected during the day," he explained during his remarks. He further noted the lack of a formal taxi marking system in northern towns allows virtually anyone to start a taxi business with no regulatory hurdles, complicating the efforts to manage and monitor taxi operations effectively.

The workshop, which runs through Wednesday, has drawn representatives from all municipalities and town councils across the 14 regions of Namibia. The agenda includes creating awareness of the draft public passenger road transport bill, discussing its regulation, and developing guidelines for managing road public passenger transport in cities and for taxis specifically.

Additionally, the workshop aims to educate attendees about the issuance of public carrier permits and the development of an incident management system for public transportation, striving to establish a more regulated and safer public transport environment across Namibia.