IMMINENT SPLIT LOOMING IN STLA?

MANZINI - Could this be the end of the Swaziland Local Transport Association (SLTA)?

Impeccable sources within the public transport industry have revealed to this publication that some public transport operators, who have since given themselves a name; ‘Concerned Public Transport Operators’, were on the verge of pulling out from SLTA.

The insiders said following a litany of concerns which they had, they eventually decided to pull out of the association. They said this decision was taken in a secret meeting which was held in Manzini following the permit row, which saw transport owners allegedly drawing guns after a heated verbal showdown in the SLTA offices last week.

They said they were waiting to inform the Ministry of Public Works and Transport about their decision.
The operators in question had agreed that from January 1, 2020 that they would not pay rank fees (E20 per day per kombi). This money was paid to the bus rank marshals and was collected by SLTA.

Fees

The insiders said the operators agreed that they would engage the bus rank marshals on how they would work as they would now deal with the local authorities (municipalities, town councils and town boards) regarding rank fees.

“Their argument was that SLTA does not own any bus rank as it belongs to the local authorities. In that regard, they believe that it is the local authorities that should benefit from the rank fees,” the insiders said.

Again, they said the operators also argued that if they pay the rank fees to the local authorities, they would have every right to confront it and demand services they want in the bus ranks such as revamping roads, among other things.

Even though the sources did not want to elaborate about the litany of concerns, they highlighted that the association was allegedly failing to address their issues.
“They never call meetings and, as a result, it’s been years since they last presented financial statements to us,” the insiders said. Furthermore, they alleged that sometimes, individuals from the associations were allegedly taking the rank fees for their personal use. When they were asked if they had notified the association about their decision, they said they had not and they would never do so.

“We do not want them in our affairs anymore and that is why we want to notify the ministry so that it does not recognise them when they try to represent us in our issues,” the insiders said.

Meanwhile, SLTA Manzini Branch Chairman Dlamini said he was not aware of the developments. He said maybe they would learn about it when it unfolds. He said they would also investigate some of the claims with the bus rank marshals.

Holiday

On the other hand, SLTA National Chairman Mandla Dlamini said he was on holiday. For that reason, he said he was not in a position to comment about the issues at hand at the moment.

It is worth noting that the sour relationship between some SLTA executive committee members and public transport operators was witnessed on December 24, 2019, when guns were drawn during a meeting which almost ended in bloodshed. This meeting took place in SLTA Manzini Branch offices.



 

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