According to the president of ANATA, Francisco Paciente, for approximately ten years, between 2014 and 2024, taxi drivers "have become much poorer".
Francisco Paciente, who was speaking at a press conference, which analyzed the economic and social situation of taxi drivers versus the withdrawal of fuel subsidies from April 30th, stressed that this situation has resulted in the bankruptcy of the taxi fleet, permanent shortages of transport and flooding at taxi ranks.
The official highlighted that this subsector does not receive any support for the maintenance or reinforcement of the aforementioned vehicle fleets, stressing that taxi drivers want an increase in taxi fare prices "adjusted to the economic and social reality of taxi drivers and passengers".
"We associate these difficulties with the situation of the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy", said Francisco Paciente, stressing that the decree is not clear and "does not refer from a tacit point of view, whether the subsidy on fuel cards is withdrawn" or whether the price of gasoline could see a possible increase, above the current 300 kwanzas.
At the beginning of this month, the President approved a decree that will end the exemptions granted to some professional classes, from April 30th, on the price of gasoline, as part of the removal of fuel subsidies.
The exemptions cover family agropastoral activities, artisanal fishing, taxi drivers and motorcycle taxi drivers, through the delivery of cards with a daily limit of 7000 kwanzas to cover the difference between the 160 kwanzas per liter, which gasoline costs, and the current 300 kwanzas.
Francisco Paciente highlighted that only after the deactivation of the cards and a possible change in price will ANATA make a decision on taxi prices.
"But it is worth saying that the rise in taxi prices is irreversible, taxis must go up", declared the president of ANATA, adding that the current price of 150 kwanzas "is no longer justified, no longer suitable" for the existing operational costs in the market.
According to the president of ANATA, a proposal will be presented to the Price Regulation Agency of the Ministry of Finance based on a table of vehicle maintenance costs.
The situation of Luanda's routes is also another concern that the association wants to see resolved by the authorities, as they have been out of date for more than ten years, with ANATA having already presented a proposal from the Luanda provincial government for new routes in the capital city.
"Ten years ago there were no certain routes in municipalities in Luanda that there are today, however, with the emergence of new neighborhoods in the city, there was a need for taxi drivers to adapt the transport system to those areas, many of which are difficult to access, which requires a prior negotiation between taxi drivers and passengers to reach certain points in the capital, which is interpreted as price speculation or route shortening", he highlighted.
"Today we have two and a half kilometer routes costing 150 kwanzas, for example from the National Bank of Angola to Luanda Island, and 35 kilometer routes, such as the Zango bypass to Benfica, also costing 150 kwanzas, which which does not adjust to economic reality and vehicle maintenance", he criticized.
Regarding a supposed strike by taxi drivers next week, Francisco Paciente said that there is no such intention, guaranteeing that "Luanda will not have any demonstrations".
