PERMANENT CHANGE
The Ministry of Transport and Public Works has confirmed that children aged five years and above should pay full transport fare when travelling by kombi and bus, not half ticket as has been the case.
The regulations came into effect during the peak of Covid-19 in 2020. It continues to this day despite the decline in numbers of people testing positive for Covid-19 and restrictions having been eased. The ministry still maintains that children should not share seats.
Speaking to this publication this week, ministry spokesperson Mmapula Sampson said that they recently changed the old regulations and are sticking to those that were introduced by the advent of Covid-19.
She noted that the country was still battling Covid-19 and that this was meant to protect children.
“The only children that are allowed to sit on the lap of their parents are those aged five and below. The rest should be allowed to occupy a seat alone so that they sit comfortably and their safety is not compromised,” Sampson said.
Chairman of Botswana Bus Association Tiragalo Mponang said it was not hard to convince their passengers that the laws have changed.
“Because of Covid-19, passengers knew that they had to pay full amount for children so even today, we are operating peacefully. I applaud the ministry for not going back to half tickets,” Mponang said.
Mponang said sharing a seat worked if a parent was travelling with two of her own children, that os when they can share seats but if a parent brings one child and they share with a stranger, chances are that there will be transmission.
The ministry is also maintaining that there should be no people standing as it leads to overloading.
The regulations came into effect during the peak of Covid-19 in 2020. It continues to this day despite the decline in numbers of people testing positive for Covid-19 and restrictions having been eased. The ministry still maintains that children should not share seats.
Speaking to this publication this week, ministry spokesperson Mmapula Sampson said that they recently changed the old regulations and are sticking to those that were introduced by the advent of Covid-19.
She noted that the country was still battling Covid-19 and that this was meant to protect children.
“The only children that are allowed to sit on the lap of their parents are those aged five and below. The rest should be allowed to occupy a seat alone so that they sit comfortably and their safety is not compromised,” Sampson said.
Chairman of Botswana Bus Association Tiragalo Mponang said it was not hard to convince their passengers that the laws have changed.
“Because of Covid-19, passengers knew that they had to pay full amount for children so even today, we are operating peacefully. I applaud the ministry for not going back to half tickets,” Mponang said.
Mponang said sharing a seat worked if a parent was travelling with two of her own children, that os when they can share seats but if a parent brings one child and they share with a stranger, chances are that there will be transmission.
The ministry is also maintaining that there should be no people standing as it leads to overloading.
