Hertta-Maria Amutenja
A women-led transport service is expanding in Swakopmund as the municipality remains in early talks about introducing a public bus system for low-income residents and schoolchildren.
Go Girl Transfers, a private business offering rides by women for women and children, is operating in the town with eight female drivers.
The company has not yet received formal recognition from the municipality.
Swakopmund municipal spokesperson Linda Mupupa said the council supports private businesses registered with the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) and the municipality’s health department, as long as they hold a valid fitness certificate.
“We will have to check with our health department whether they have been registered as a business to operate within the boundaries of Swakopmund and if they do have a fitness certificate,” she said.
She confirmed that Go Girl Transfers has not approached the mayor’s office or the chief executive officer for formal engagement.
Mupupa said the council is still consulting with stakeholders, including taxi operators, on the possibility of launching a municipal bus service targeting learners and low-income earners.
“The idea is still under discussion and has not kicked off yet,” she said.
Go Girl Transfers spokesperson Vivienne Manetti said the company started in response to safety concerns raised by women and children about harassment and kidnapping during commutes.
“When we saw the statistics on abuse and the complaints from women about taxi harassment, we started thinking, what could men do to help? Then Go Girl Transfers was born,” she said.
The service began in Windhoek and coastal towns, with plans to expand to Okahandja and Rehoboth.
Manetti said all drivers are trained through a partner driving school.
The mobile app includes an SOS button that links users to the nearest police station.
She said they have received positive feedback, especially from women leaving events at night.
However, the company has not yet initiated contact with the local authority for formal recognition.
Some residents welcome the initiative, but local taxi drivers have mixed views.
“It’s a free country, but we also have rules,” said Silas Uushona, a taxi driver in Swakopmund for 11 years.
“They must register properly, like all of us. But if they help the ladies feel safe, that’s fine, just not at the cost of taking our bread,” he said.
The council’s proposed bus system remains under discussion, with no set timeline for its launch.
