BOFEPUSU Slam ‘100% Carrying Capacity’ Knee-Jerk Reaction
● Govt should have assisted operators financially ● Move contradicts social distancing ruler
The Botswana Federation of Public Private and Parastatal Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) has criticised government’s knee-jerk reaction to bus operators’ nearprotest against stringent rules that rendered the continued transportation business unprofitable.
Just as operators were about to retire their buses in protest on Saturday, the Director of Health Services Dr Malaki Tshipayagae announced that public transportation would now be allowed to operate at full capacity to restore the informal economy.
Bus operators were about to down tools following the coronavirus (COVID-19) regulations that limited the number of passengers to carry, which had affected their bottom line, forcing government to allow the sector to open all the way and load at full capacity by filling up the available seats.
Through an extraordinary gazette, Tshipayagae announced to combi and taxi operators who were also preparing to down their tools tomorrow that the 100% carrying capacity would be extended to them as well.
The move has been met with mixed reactions with BOFEPUSU saying the announcement was a step back in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
BOFEPUSU deputy secretary general, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa said the government should have assisted the operators financially while keeping the same number of customers to maintain the social distancing protocol.
“The public transport operators being combis, taxis and long-distance bus operators, complained about financial loss due to imposed lower volume of passengers. A majority of these are operating at the level of self-employed or small medium enterprise level and at informal economy particularly taxis and combis. As per their grievances they were seriously affected as they operate in terms of hand to mouth livelihood. It was to be financially burdensome for them to operate at low numbers without any form of subsidy or assistance from government,” he said.
“If the government was adamant to fight the spread of COVID-19 through limited (number of) passengers in public transport, they should have stuck to social distancing in public transport and simultaneously help public transport operators mitigate the costs. That way there would have been balance between health and economic considerations. We have been in touch with the leadership of public transport operators who informed us in engaging the Minister of Transport, he was not forthcoming with answers or any valid solution. We accordingly stand in solidarity with public transport operators.”
Motshegwa said public transport operators have employees to pay, families to take care of and therefore their businesses must make sense to them. He said there are discriminatory tendencies of solely protecting big business at the exclusion of small operators like buses, combis and taxis. It is a class discrimination.
Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS) acting director Godwin Tlhogo, when lifting transport COVID-19 regulations for public transport, said they were not acting under any pressure due to a threatened strike, but rather they had been planning to do it.
Tlhogo said they have been consulting with stakeholders until they reached the decision to allow for full capacity.
“Operators were always knocking at our
decrying the 60% for buses and 70% for combis carrying capacity. They complained that they were making losses and requested that government provides sanitisers. They also wanted us to ask councils to build boundaries at the bus rank to have one entry and one exit. We are still looking into the (proposal),” he said.
Tlhogo said the operators asked to be allowed to carry at 100% capacity and were given the green light following approval from health authorities.
According to the Government Gazette, a public transport operator shall abide with COVID-19 protocols; clean the interior and exterior of the vehicles with water and soap or sanitise two to three times a day, or after every trip for long distance routes, not permit a person to use public transport without wearing a face mask, not tint the windows of a public service vehicle; not tout, not permit selling in a public service vehicle, and keep a register of all passengers on board, which shall be open for inspection by the Director of Health Services or a law enforcement officer.
On whether more restrictions will be loosened, Tshipayagae said “it will depend on the situation on the ground, taking into account the trajectory of the disease. Any evidence of increased risk will lead to regional lockdowns or even national one”.
Meanwhile, Tshipayagae said Mogoditshane testing is near completion with more than 4,000 tested and results will be announced soon.