VICTORY FOR ‘DUBIA’ TAXI, KOMBI OWNERS

LOBAMBA – ‘Dubai’ taxi and kombi owners yesterday scored a rare victory as the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Lindiwe Dlamini, lifted the ban imposed by the CTO when the vehicles are due for re-testing.
This follows a House of Assembly resolution after a motion moved by Manzini North Member of Parliament Jan Sithole.

For months now, kombi and taxi owners who had public transport permits to operate their ‘Dubai’ vehicles had been denied testing by officers at the Central Transport Organisation (CTO), for unexplained reasons.
This was what prompted MP Sithole to raise the motion, which was supported by Mbabane West MP Johane Shongwe.

Making his submission, Sithole highlighted that for starters, Swaziland did not manufacture any vehicle and there were many Swazis who were driving the imported automobiles popularly referred to as ‘Dubais’.
He said as a result, Swazis could buy these vehicles and get into self-employment and feed their families.

He said Section 59 of the Constitution also stated that government should ensure that the maximum economic objectives of the country were achieved. 
“The cheaper vehicles allowed Swazis to engage in gainful employment and avoid the life of crime, but for some reason government has banned the testing of the vehicles,” said Sithole.
Sithole said the minister had the power to regulate the testing of the vehicles so that they could go back on the road and advised such an act must the done immediately.

Sithole said some of the ‘dubais’ were even more luxurious than the so-called local vehicles and said the ordinary Swazi could also feel the luxury of travelling in an X5 with air conditioning and all.
The initial motion had stated that the minister should further investigate why the ban was effected and submit a report with recommendations that brought a lasting solution to the matter within 10 days.

Mbabane West MP Shongwe said the 10 days was too long and wondered who had given the testing officers at CTO the authority to stop these tests and wondered which law they were using.
In response, the minister said many MPs had already approached the ministry with this concern. She said the rule on the import vehicles was contained in Section 48 of the Road Traffic Act of 2007, which stated that import vehicles which were older than five years should not be used for public transport services.

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