NO INCREASE IN MINIBUS FARES

There will be no increase in the fares charged by the minibus-taxis that provide much of the passenger transport in Maputo, at least for the time being.This was the main result of a meeting on Friday between representatives of Maputo Municipal Council and the Mozambican Federation of Road Transport Operators (FEMATRO), held to discuss fares.On Monday the Maputo Road Transport Association (AMOTRAP) jumped the gun and unilaterally imposed a 50 per cent fare rise. The basic fare for the mini-buses (known colloquially as “chapas”) rose from five meticais (16 US cents) to 7.5 meticais,This was only in force on a couple of routes for a few hours. FEMATRO moved quickly to dissociate itself from the rise, stressing that it violated the 2008 agreement between FEMATRO and the government.But FEMATRO chairman Rogerio Manuel said that the demand from chapa owners for a fare increase was justified by the sharp rise in the cost of maintenance, spare parts, insurance and licensing. Only the diesel used by the chapas is subsidised. Manuel even suggested that the cost of a chapa journey should be 18 meticais.However, the Friday meeting simply endorsed the status quo – thus the cost of a journey of up to ten kilometres remains five meticais, while a for longer journeys the fare remains 7.5 meticais.According to a report in Saturday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”, the Maputo councillor for transport and traffic, Joao Matlombe, said the Monday problems arose because some vehicles recently acquired by FEMATRO were charging a flat rate fare of 7.5 meticais. This irritated the other operators, with older vehicles, who also wanted to charge 7.5 meticais.He said that FEMATRO had recognised the mistake and was urging the chapa owners to respect the existing fares.ATROMAP representative Samuel Nhatitima said not only that those operators who raised their fares were in the wrong – so were those who simply parked their vehicles and stopped working. He said that all problems should first be presented to the Municipal Council “so that we can seek the best solution”.