Mathatisi Sebusi
Public transport operators across the country want the Transport Board to increase intra city fares by M2 to M15 from the current M13.
This is according to the Maseru Region Taxi Operators (MRTO) spokesperson, Lebohang Moea, who spoke to the Lesotho Times yesterday.
Mr Moea said the request stems from the Transport Board’s failure to honour a previous agreement with taxi operators to adjust public transport fares annually.
“We expected the Transport Board to raise fares in April, as agreed, especially considering how long and difficult it is to get fare adjustments approved. But despite the agreement, there has been neither an increment nor any explanation,” he said.
He argued that the current fares were too low and unsustainable for those in the industry. For example, a 4+1 taxi typically makes M200 per day which equates to about M6,000 per month.
“From this amount, the driver must be paid M2,800 monthly, leaving the taxi owner with M3,200. This must cover vehicle maintenance and personal expenses. It’s very difficult to survive on this income, especially when you have a family.”
Mr Moea also pointed to the case of school buses.
“A seven-seater is allowed to carry 14 children, each paying M400 per month, which totals M5,600 in revenue. However, the vehicle uses fuel worth M1,000 per week, amounting to M4,000 per month, leaving just M1,600. That is not enough to pay the driver or maintain the vehicle.”
He said the taxi industry was operating at a loss, but operators remained in business because they had no alternative sources of income.
The current M13 was effected on 1 December 2023 after negotiations between the transport operators and the government.
Mr Moea, however, welcomed recent efforts by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to improve access to vehicle plate numbers and extend their validity period.
The ministry announced yesterday that, effective from 1 September 2025, vehicle plate numbers will be available across the country and will now expire after 10 years, instead of the previous five.
While Mr Moea appreciated the move to make plate numbers more accessible and reduce stress and delays faced by Basotho, he questioned the logic behind registration expiry.
“I don’t understand why vehicle registration has to expire. Even after ten years, nothing really changes about the registration,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Minister of Public Works and Transport, Matjato Moteane, denied that the ministry had violated its agreement with public transport operators regarding fare increases.
He clarified that the agreement allows for an annual increase of M1, and that any adjustment must not be excessive or burdensome to commuters.
“Fare increments are not decisions that can be made overnight. They must be officially gazetted. The process requires communication with the Traffic Commissioner (Khothatso Tšooana), who then brings the matter to me for final approval,” Mr Moteane explained.
He said fares were increased by M1 last year, in line with the agreement.
He also said the ministry had recently hired a price determination expert to monitor factors such as fuel prices and road conditions to guide future fare adjustments. However, the expert has not yet begun their work.
“We are not at a stage where one can say the ministry is not honouring the agreement. Further negotiations still need to take place among stakeholders. The agreed-upon increment is M1, unless the operators now intend to surprise commuters with a M2 increase,” Mr Moteane said.
