BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
MBABANE— Government has been urged to convene a National Transport Indaba to address deep-rooted challenges in the public transport industry, including permit rental, overtrading, inactive permits and concerns over the allocation of public transport permits.
The proposal was made by the Consumer Association during consultations with the Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Transport on the Maximum Bus and Taxi Fares (Amendment) Regulations, 2026.
The Association told the committee that a national indaba would provide an opportunity for members of the public and other stakeholders to voice their concerns and contribute to discussions on how the country’s public transport system could be improved.
A major concern raised during the committee’s deliberations was the large number of public transport permits operating on some routes.
The committee lamented that the industry was facing overtrading, which it attributed partly to the thousands of permits issued by the Ministry without sufficient caution.
The Ministry acknowledged the problem, saying most routes, particularly those connecting major urban centres, were overtraded.
It said the Road Transportation Board had already been engaged to conclude recommendations on how overtrading could be brought under control.
Concerns were also raised about routes where several permits exist despite few vehicles actually operating.
The committee cited a route in Hhohho where seven permits were on record, but three permit holders were deceased and only one permit was active.
The Ministry said determining inactive permits was complicated and would require the Road Transportation Board to deploy the Road Transport Inspectorate to assess the situation on the ground.
The issue of permit rental also emerged as a major problem.
The committee was told that some vehicle owners allegedly pay more than E200 000 a year to permit holders, adding unnecessary costs to public transport operations.
The Ministry said permit rental was discouraged because it not only created unnecessary costs but also exposed vehicle owners to losses.
To address the problem, the Ministry said it would implement the Road Transport Permit Management System, which would link a vehicle owner to a permit holder.
It further said the one vehicle, one permit principle would help eliminate permit rental.
The committee also questioned the alleged use of amendments to permits as a means of obtaining or retaining permits.
Members called for aggressive screening to ensure that the vehicle owner and permit holder corresponded, warning that permits should be confiscated where the requirements were not met.
The Ministry said it had taken note of the concern and would comply.
Another concern was the continued existence of permits belonging to people who were no longer operating in the industry.
The Ministry explained that permits are valid for three years and renewable annually, allowing authorities to verify vehicle and ownership particulars.
The committee also raised concerns about permits being surrendered and subsequently being revived or transferred through questionable processes.
The Ministry maintained that once a permit is surrendered, the Road Transportation Board can only open applications for a new owner and that illegally resuscitating a surrendered permit would not be permissible.
The Consumer Association further called for regular road maintenance, arguing that poor road infrastructure increases operating costs for transport owners, with those costs ultimately being passed on to commuters.
It also proposed that Government conduct a benchmarking exercise to examine how neighbouring countries manage their public transport systems.
The committee meanwhile urged transport operators to consider the plight of low-income earners and elderly people, who could be particularly affected by higher transport costs.
Members also questioned the impact of public transport changes on commuters and called for users of the system to be consulted before major changes are implemented.
The Portfolio Committee has recommended that the various concerns affecting the transport industry be addressed alongside the review of bus and taxi fares.
The proposed National Transport Indaba could therefore bring together Government, transport operators, permit holders, commuters and other stakeholders to confront the industry’s problems and develop solutions beyond fare adjustments.
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(Courtesy Pic)
