By: Dwight Links
More than ten Yango operators in the Windhoek area have signed off on two letters appealing to meet with the Works & Transport Minister, Veikko Nekundi.
In the letters dated 1 April and 10 April, the operators lay their claims of inconsistent regulations used to deter them from operating and playing a part in the local and broader Namibian passenger and ride hailing economy.
The ministry’s public relations desk did not respond to any calls, nor has it provided any clear messaging around the compliance of Yango operators in the country.
Outlining their frustrations in the 10 April letter, the operators shared that their “current experience highlights a critical challenge: compliance timelines are not aligned with actual processing and operational realities.”
The first letter goes into depth, illustrating all the challenges experienced by operators after one of Yango Group’s executives visited Namibia in March.
“One of the key challenges we face is that Police Clearance certificates remain pending for extended periods despite submission and payments made,” the operators noted.
Another key frustration was the length of time (about 6 to 8 months) it took to issue a Passenger Transport Permit.
“We request an alignment of compliance deadlines with the actual realities of processing and its timelines, to allow proof of application as a means of temporary compliance, and to accelerate processing backlogs on police clearance certificates and permits,” added the operators.
Yango Group’s head of policy for Africa, Zanyiwe Asare, emphasised that compliance to local Namibian laws is in the operators’ best interests.
