MASERU-Taxi operators demand a thirty percent fare hike as of 1st April, 2022.
They have also given government a seven day deadline starting from Thursday last week 10th March, to have responded to their grievances.
In a press conference held on Tuesday, operators have threatened a massive strike to compel government to heed to their demands that they not be made to pay tax, that they be allowed to effect a taxi hike and that their taxies be allowed to go through a fitness once in a year and not twice like it’s happening every six months.
According to Maseru Region Taxi Operators Chairman Mr Mokete Jonas “we are convinced that all talks have hit a brick wall and government isn’t willing to give us an audience. We know that they will hear us better if we go on a strike which is something that we don’t want but are being pushed to do.”
They also threatened to obstruct the upcoming African Union Summit to be held in Maseru on 22-25 March to show their dissatisfaction to the international community.
Should their wish to hike fares be granted, a 4+1 cab locally will cost M12.00 while a taxi will be M11.00.
Of their many grievances, the operators say they have applied to be granted routes since last year but to date have not gotten any response from government through the traffic department and yet they have paid for those applications.
“We had also asked government to allow us have our taxis to get tested for fitness once a year and not twice in every six months like it’s happening now because it is quite costly,” said Jonas
