Taxi and motorbike drivers in Luanda lament the beleaguered increase in fuel consumption.

Taxi and motorbike drivers in Luanda say speculation in ride prices will be inevitable with a nearly 100 percent increase in gas prices, complain about “bureaucracy” in accessing subsidized cards, and deplore the government’s hasty action.

The scenario of lamentations in connection with the rise in the price of gasoline, which a week ago was sold at 300 kwanza (0.48 euros) against the previous 160 kwanza (0.25 euros), was reported by taxi operators, some of which suggested that they did not have vehicles in legal status.

In addition to the traditional vehicles that provide taxi services in the Angolan capital, the well-known “blue and white” motorcycles with two or three wheels also compete head to head in transporting passengers to and from various destinations, mainly in peripheral areas.

The increase in the price of a liter of gasoline, effective from June 2, creates “a few 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.

It’s a hasty move by the authorities that encourages speculation on the “race” price, said the operators, who are urging the government to back off, arguing that the decision primarily penalizes low-income people.

“It’s really very bad, very bad (our daily life), since the price of fuel has risen, things are very bad, taxis are also difficult, the police are always chasing motorcyclists, so everything is very bad for us, life is more difficult,” said motorcycle taxi driver David Armando.

It is in the Estalagem district, in the municipality of Viana, that Armando, 35, finds his bread and butter while driving a motorcycle. But because he doesn’t have a license, he doesn’t have access to a subsidized card and therefore spends more on fuel and fines passengers.

A week ago, the Angolan government announced the phasing out of gasoline subsidies, while maintaining subsidies for the agricultural sector and fisheries.

According to Angola’s Minister of State for Economic Coordination, Manuel Núñez Junior, who was rehabilitated today, the fare for taxi drivers and motorcycle taxi drivers will be subsidized, while they will still pay 160 kwanzas per liter of gasoline, and the state will cover the costs. difference.

One of the requirements to access subsidized cards is vehicle licensing, but many operators admitted they did not have a license, complaining about perceived bureaucracy in the process.

Among motorcycle taxi drivers, few are licensed while others are, Alberto Filipe Chiala, 28, said, suggesting he buys gasoline at 300 kwanzas a litre.

“It makes life very difficult, passengers also complain, if we charge 300 kwanza (per trip), they will complain, we charge 200 kwanza, but sometimes we give 300 kwanza,” Alberto emphasized.

In doing so for three years, he also said that, like him, many of his Estalagem colleagues cannot deal with a subsidized card.

“Sometimes you can fill 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, at least to reduce the price of gasoline, we are experiencing difficulties, we have families, and our children will die of hunger,” he said.

Regrets also expressed by 27-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Fernando Augusto Giamba, realizing that due to the increase in fuel consumption, he was no longer “kind”, especially with students from whom he previously charged 100 kwanza (0.15 euros) for trip.

With a fuel cost of 300 kwanzas, “we couldn’t help them, so I think the government should think for the population, because everything runs on fuel,” he said.

Unlicensed for what he has been doing for 14 years, Jamba said there is a huge queue of bikers who, even with a license, are eager to get their cards, and for this reason, many have already changed races. up to 200 kwanza (0.30 euros) against officials 150 kwanzas (0.22 euros).

At the well-known Congolese stop Avenida Deolinda Rodrigues in the urban district of Rangel, we find taxi drivers Jorge Manuel Teixeira and Miguel José da Cruz, driving blue and white choirs, saying that route cuts and speculation will be inevitable.

“Shorter routes will not stop,” said Jorge, a taxi driver with eight years of experience, noting that he continues to pay 300 kwanza per liter because the licensing process is still carried out by ANATA – Associação Nova Aliança dos Taxistas de Angola.

However, he believes that the state will reimburse him once he receives his license and subsidized card, as he keeps invoices for the shipment, citing guarantees of a monthly shipment of 160,000 kwanza (243). Euro).

Miguel José da Cruz allows speculation about the price of the trip: “Fuel has gone up but taxis have not gone up and there is a need to raise the price because fuel has gone up 100% and there is no pocket to resist. this is what the population suffers,” he told Luce.

For this taxi driver, the measure of the Angolan government should be preceded by the registration of all operators in the sector, realizing that the situation has negative consequences not only for passengers, but also for taxi drivers.

“Now it’s very difficult, many simply don’t stay at home out of necessity, otherwise it’s very hard,” he complained, noting that subsidized cards “are difficult.”

The (subsidized) cards are “really complex, they said yesterday that they would issue them today, but they didn’t, and this can cause a lot of confusion if the government does not take this situation to heart,” he stressed.