07 Jan 2024

The festive season has not been as profitable as expected for Gaborone taxi operators. 

One of the operators, Mr Kefalotse Tlhaga said in an interview over the weekend that they had hoped for business to boom during the Christmas holidays.

Most commuters, he said might had gone away for the holidays.

“In the yester years we made a killing during the festive period. One would make about P700 a day, but it was hard to reach P500 this year.”

He further said the InDrive  had became popular with passengers and therefore competing for clients with them. 

Also Mr Tlhaga said piracy was a thorn in their flesh, adversely affecting their business.

Another operator Ms Nchadi Gadimang said she also made losses and she regretted not going home for the festive season. 

Noting that the city was deserted, Ms Gadimang said moving around to look for customers was not an option as it would waste fuel and therefore she was compelled to wait for commuters, a move that did not yield fruit.

Ms Gadimang said waiting longer to fill her taxi with clients was also risky as she could be robbed. 

She said now that the festive period was over and people were returning to the city for work, and schools were to resume classes, they were hopeful that things would got back to normal.

For his part, Mr Chakala Ikgopoleng, also a taxi operator, said he preferred not to work during the festive season as he believed it was time to be with his family. 

He said he travelled to Magwereapitse every other holiday.

Mr Ikgopoleng, who is also a small stock farmer, said the holiday was the opportune time to go and check how his other business was doing.

“It is not good to put all eggs in one basket, so i have diversified. If being a taxi operator fails, at least i will have something to fall back on” he said. 

He therefore encouraged other taxi operators to spread their wings and venture into other businesses. Ends