According to the president of the Union of Cooperatives and Associations of Taxi and Motorcycle Drivers, António Freitas, negotiations were resumed after the threat to stop services, this Monday, which ended up not materializing.
António Freitas highlighted that the Provincial Government of Luanda called taxi drivers, on Friday, to listen to their concerns regarding the announcement of the intention to stop due to the end of the gasoline price subsidy, decreed by the Government, from April 30th.
The Government announced on June 1st last year, the gradual withdrawal of the fuel subsidy, which started with gasoline, but exempting some economic activities, including taxis and motorcycle taxis that received this discount through cards with a daily limit, which will end at the end of next month.
The intention to paralyze taxi and motorcycle taxi activities was communicated on March 11th to the Provincial Government of Luanda, after demands were presented on January 8th regarding six points, which include the creation of taxi stops and definition of routes, subsidies fuels and activity regulation, among others.
For the Government, highlighted António Freitas, while the subsidy continues there is no reason for taxi drivers to stop the service, suggesting that they present a proposal to increase the fare during this period.
"We have a period of 15 days to present our proposal, the meeting was on Friday, and today [Monday] negotiations began", António Freitas told Lusa, highlighting that they want the taxi fare to rise to 300 kwanzas.
In June 2023, the Government began the gradual withdrawal of the fuel subsidy, which started with gasoline, but exempted some economic activities, which included taxi drivers and motorcycle taxi drivers, who were given a card with a daily ceiling of 7000 kwanzas to cover the difference between the 160 kwanzas per liter that gasoline costs and the current 300 kwanzas.
Private nine-seater taxis, known as candongueiros or "blue and white" taxis, and motorcycle taxi drivers are the cheapest and most popular means of transport in the country, especially in Luanda, where thousands of young people dedicate themselves to this activity.
The Union and Associations and Taxi Drivers and Motorcycle Taxi Drivers brings together four cooperatives and three associations.
