Private taxis do operate in the larger towns, and are useful for getting around Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. They are normally summoned by phoning, rather than being hailed from the street.

Township taxis are rather different, being minibuses that serve the routes between the townships and the centre, usually leaving when full and carrying a very full load of passengers. Unless you know where you are going, and have detailed local advice about which ones to take, you're unlikely to find these very useful.