The scenario of lamentations as a result of the rise in the price of gasoline, which a week ago has been sold at 300 kwanzas against the previous 160 kwanzas, were reported by taxi operators, some of them assuming that their vehicles are not in a legal situation.
In addition to the traditional vehicles that provide the taxi service in the capital, the well-known "blue and white", motorcycles, with two or three wheels, also compete on an equal footing in transporting passengers to and from various destinations, mostly in peripheral areas.
The rise in the price of a liter of gasoline, in force since June 2, is creating "several inconveniences" for taxi drivers and motorcycle taxi drivers in the capital, as Lusa found in the municipality of Viana and in the urban district of Rangel.
A hasty measure by the authorities and which contributes to speculation on the "race" price, reported these operators, who urge the Government to back off, claiming that the decision penalizes people with low incomes above all.
"Very bad indeed, very bad (our day-to-day life), since the fuel went up things have been very bad, taxis are also difficult, the police are always after motorcyclists, so everything is really bad for us, life is more difficult", said motorcycle taxi driver David Armando.
It is in the Estalagem area, in the municipality of Viana, where Armando, 35 years old, finds his bread and butter, driving a motorbike. But because he is not licensed, he does not have access to the subsidized card and therefore spends more on fuel and "penalizes" passengers.
The Government announced, a week ago, the gradual withdrawal of gasoline subsidies, maintaining the subsidy to the agricultural sector and fishing.
According to the former Minister of State for Economic Coordination, Manuel Nunes Júnior, who was exonerated on Thursday, the rates for taxi drivers and motorcycle taxi drivers will be subsidized, with them continuing to pay 160 kwanzas per liter of gasoline, with the State covering the difference.
One of the requirements for accessing subsidized cards is vehicle licensing, but many operators acknowledged that they were not licensed, complaining of alleged bureaucracy in the process.
Among the motorcycle taxi drivers, only a few have a license, while others are dealing with it, as Alberto Filipe Kiala, 28, said, assuming he is buying gasoline at 300 kwanzas/litre.
"It's making it very difficult, passengers are also complaining, if we give a price of 300 kwanzas (per ride) they will complain, we are charging 200 kwanzas, but sometimes we give 300 kwanzas", stressed Alberto.
Carrying out this activity for three years, he also said that, like him, many of his colleagues, who operate in the Estalagem area, are unable to deal with the subsidized card.
"Sometimes you can put in gasoline for 300 kwanzas and nothing can be done (...). And we are suffering a lot and now we want the State to help us, to at least lower the price of gasoline, we are experiencing difficulties, we have families and our children will die of hunger," he said.
Regrets that were also expressed by motorcycle taxi driver Fernando Augusto Jamba, 27, realizing that due to the increase in fuel he was no longer "kind", especially with students who previously charged 100 kwanzas per ride.
With fuel costing 300 kwanzas, "we weren't able to help them, so I think the Government has to think for the population, because everything only works with fuel", he noted.
Without being licensed for the activity he has been carrying out for 14 years, Jamba said that there is a huge queue of bikers, who, even with a license, are anxious to get their cards and therefore, many have already changed the race to 200 kwanzas against the official 150 kwanzas.
At the well-known Congolenses stop, Avenida Deolinda Rodrigues, in the urban district of Rangel, we find the taxi drivers Jorge Manuel Teixeira and Miguel José da Cruz, who at the wheel of the "blues and whites", say in unison that the shortening of routes and speculation will be inevitable.
"Shorten routes will not stop", said Jorge, a taxi driver for eight years, noting that he continues to pay 300 kwanzas/litre because the licensing process is still being carried out by ANATA - Associação Nova Aliança dos Taxistas de Angola.
He believes, however, that he will be reimbursed by the State, as soon as he has the license and gets the subsidized card, as he is keeping the supply invoices, referring to guarantees that he will have a monthly shipment of 160,000 kwanzas.
Miguel José da Cruz admits speculation about the prices of the race: "Fuel has gone up and taxis have not gone up and there is a need to raise the price, because fuel has gone up 100 percent and there is no pocket that can resist it and it is the population that suffers from that", told Lusa.
For this taxi driver, the Government's measure should be preceded by a registration of all operators in the sector, realizing that the situation has negative consequences, not only for passengers, but also for taxi drivers.
"It is being very difficult, many are just not staying at home out of necessity, otherwise things are really hard", he lamented, noting that subsidized cards "are difficult".
The (subsidized) cards "are really difficult, yesterday they said they would give them today, but they didn't, and that could cause a big confusion if the Government doesn't take this situation to heart", he stressed.
