…while Zupco remains incapacitated
Rutendo Chirume
Masvingo Central Business District (CBD) witnessed a high traffic jam as passengers struggled to get transport to go home after the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) heavily monitored the streets arresting unauthorized transport operators offering services to commuters in an operation code named “respect other road users”.
On May 4, 2022 at around 1900hours, there were hundreds of people at Glow pick up point struggling to get transport since the Zupco buses and kombis knocked off earlier leaving hoards of stranded commuters stuck in town.
Speaking to TellZim News Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said the operation has always been there and if Zupco is incapacitated, they should be answerable since police will be doing their job.
“We will remain on the ground targeting motorists who are not supposed to be ferrying passengers in the operation against Mushika shika. They know that they are not authorized to operate and we only want to see Zupco transport. They are unlawful and they know what is supposed to be done. There is nothing new, we are simply doing our jobs and yesterday is no exception. If Zupco is incapacitated that is their call to answer,” said Dhewa.
A Zupco franchised kombi driver (who refused to be named) said they work according to the provided timetable and as such there is nothing they can do within their capacities because they work on order.
“It is not a secret that there is transport crisis in the city and the kombis and buses available are few to cater for all the people, but there is nothing we can do because we have a scheduled time that we work with. Our buses usually leave the streets around 1830 to 1900 hours and by that time most of the people will be still in town and we would have already knocked off at work,” he said.
A taxi driver who declined to be named said most of these illegally operating vehicles are allegedly being run by police and soldiers and they will continue to pirate as long as they will be sharing good relations with the police on duty.
“Yesterday the police were a little bit hard on us but we are used to all this, we have been playing hide and seek for a long time now. We know the police are benefitting from us, after getting arrested, we are supposed to pay ZWL$ 2000 fine but on top of that each vehicle on Mushika shika pays extra US$ 3 which the police use for their own benefits and allow us to pirate in return. Times are hard and it is where we are also making our living, where do they expect us to go? The economy is bad and there are no jobs in the country,” said the taxi driver.
On a recent statement released by the police, it was mentioned that the public should work with the police during the on-going operation against pirate taxis and unregistered cars as the operation will be continuing countrywide.
Meanwhile National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the ZRP is investigating circumstances leading to the death of four people while eight were injured along Mutare-Vumba road as police enforced the operation.
“The ZRP is investigating circumstances in which a Toyota Hiace kombi went through a police checkpoint along Vumba-Mutare road. The vehicle had a left tyre burst after the roadblock and it overturned before landing on a precast at CMED Mutare Depot this morning at 7 am.
“As a result, four people died while eight others were injured. The police are now conducting investigations to establish what actually in this sad and unfortunate incident,” he said in a statement shared on microblogging site, Twitter.
