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By Sifiso Nhlabatsi | 2020-08-17
KOMBI Operators have decided to defy government’s directive from today and revert to full passenger carrying capacity.
This was a decision which was taken yesterday by members of the Swaziland Local Kombis Association at a highly charged meeting held at their offices in Manzini.
Effects
The decision is informed by the fact that financial institutions have issued letters demanding repayment of their loans or else they lose their vehicles.
They further alleged government has failed to save them from the effects of COVID-19 by providing them with a financial cushion.
SLTA Chairperson Mandla Dlamini confirmed the meeting which was held yesterday.
He said they held a meeting and decided that they will carry passengers to full capacity.
“Banks have claimed that they will repossess our vehicles this coming September because we are failing to settle our debts,” Dlamini said.
He added that there is nowhere where they will get money to pay these banks except from passengers and that they will be able to do so by carrying passengers to full capacity.
Meetings
Government has not helped them financially. This decision has been taken by all kombi operators in the country. The chairmen from all the regions agreed on this move.
COVID-19 Transport Committee Chairperson Sihlangu Nhlabatsi said he was not aware of the meeting where this decision was taken. He only learnt about it after the meeting had taken place.
he got calls from people who had attended the meeting telling him what had transpired.
Unfortunately the law still maintains that public transport should carry up to 80 per cent capacity.
He said the right platform was not approached by the aggrieved parties.
“They never came to the negotiation table to ask for the 100 per cent” Nhlabatsi said.
Dlamini called, informing him about their decision and he (Nhlabatsi) made it clear to him that he does not know anything about such because it was not formally brought to the committee responsible for such issues.
Nhlabatsi said there are proper channels that are followed when dealing with such issues. it is a fact that there are challenges but they cannot just use force when things do not go right as there are regulations in place.
According to Nhlabatsi as a committee they were and are still working on the issue. He hinted that tomorrow they will meet to try and address the matter.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintended Phindile Vilakati said as police they will continue enforcing what government has regulated.
Police are there to ensure that the law is upheld.
Vilakati said as far as they are concerned there haven’t been any changes that were communicated to them as police. Police are always flexible to changes. if there are any changes that are legal they will respect that but if it is not the case they will make sure that the law is maintained.
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