Despite the classy and attractive adverts which TransNamib flies, passenger train transport has not been attracting the best of news headlines. Passengers who braved the train ride between March 2006 and July 2007 say ride has not been worth the little penny used to purchase the ticket. Of common recently are train drivers abandoning their trains in the middle of no man's land because they have reached the end of their 14-hour shift.

File photograph of former CEO of TransNamib, John Shaetonhodi, aboard the Omugulu Gwombashe train during its inaugural journey to the north. The train is out of service due to mechanical failure.

Then there are the mind-boggling delays in departure and arrivals which, in mid-2007, prompted passengers to disembark from the train and hike Okahandja. The train eventually arrived in Windhoek at 12h00, instead of the scheduled 07h00. Not to mention numerous break-downs of locomotives.
This week TransNamib appeared sympathetic, a contrast to the past unpalatable responses from its corporate communication department. The general manager for marketing and sales, Paul Nashitati, acknowledged the “failure of locomotives and subsequent delays which can be several hours before a replacement locomotive can be provided”.
He did also acknowledge that at times departure delays are caused by inadequate locomotives and a lack of better planning on the people who allocate the locomotives.
“This can only be resolved with increased locomotives and better planning from those responsible to allocate the locos. Time keeping of trains will improve as reliability of locomotives improves. Programs are under way to address this,” said Nashitati.
Nashitati said when delays are excessive, TransNamib hire bus transport to get passengers to their destinations. “That is also not always possible as buses are not always available,” he said.
As for drivers abandoning their trains because their 14-hour shift is over, Nashitati said the issue “is receiving attention and mechanisms are now in place for relief drivers to be always on time”.