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Some taxi drivers have accused authorities in the Juba City Council of illegally charging them new route license fees.

The drivers say they used to pay 12,000 pounds a year, but this has been increased to 28,000 SSP for mini-buses and 25,000 for taxis.

The fees are often paid every year in July in accordance with the country’s annual fiscal year.

But according to the taxi drivers, the council is demanding them to pay the fees before the period elapses.

Some of them who spoke to Eye Radio said they have had their car logbooks confiscated — and their vehicles grounded for not complying with the new demand.

Others have reported that they were briefly detained and harassed by the authorities.

Abdullah Guot, one of the taxi drivers claimed that the new license fees will force them to pay twice a year.

“Route licenses are normally done annually it is not like what they are doing now, today in December they are forcing route licenses, and again in July next year, they will come with the same, which means per year I pay twice…..,” Abdullah said.

Bol Angeth says the city council officers are illegally confiscating documents of the vehicles.

“They do come and force you to pay route licenses and if you don’t pay immediately they will remove the number plate, detained the car, or take the original document for the car till you pay that fee, also daily fee that you pay per trip which is 150 ssp,” said Bol

Another taxi driver, Peter Ken accused the city council of imposing illegal fees.

“They are stopping the cars and removing the number plates, which is against the traffic rules, even they have bitten one the taxi drivers which is wrong, it is not supposed to be like that, is it looting or what?” Peter Ken said.

Asked about the issue, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Juba City Council, Martin Simon says he is not aware of the matter.

“I have no information about this. I don’t know what happened. Where did you get this thing from? No, we have different offices unless I check with our people. I have no idea what you talking about now.

“Nobody came to me, we cannot talk about it, let me first confirm then I will let you know,” said Martin

Besides, the City Council has increased rate which they say is too expensive than the previous amount.