Crackdown on pirate taxis leaves commuters stranded
LETTICIA MAGOMBO
Thousands of commuters have been stranded as the government’s crackdown on pirate taxis has left them without any other form of transportation following the failure by ZUPCO to service the increased market.
The government recently announced a blitz to flush out pirate taxis, commonly known as mushika-shika arguing that it wanted to mitigate the increasing cases of robbery associated with pirate taxis.
Tafadzwa Goliati, National Coordinator of the Passengers Association of Zimbabwe told Business Times that the crackdown has left commuters stranded.
“The crackdown does not bode well for passengers because the process was not planned well in terms of which alternative forms of transport would be available to the public. ZUPCO buses and commuter omnibuses are in short supply in different areas particularly in Harare and in Bulawayo and tend to stop operating around six or seven in the evening,” Goliati said.
“Even in the morning when people are heading to work they tend to arrive late that’s if, they arrive at all…
He said the government was not fully equipped to cater for every individual and every neighbourhood without any buses that solely belong to them.
“We have had several cases of buses being pulled from certain areas or not being available at all because of lack of profitability,” Goliati said.
Pirate taxis have become the only source of transport as well as the most convenient way of travel for most citizens following the ban on commuter omnibuses in 2020.
Goliati said there is need for consultations before making decisions regarding transport challenges.
“It’s not a one man band issue where they wake up and decide what to do unilaterally. We need a form of dialogue between the commuter operators, the police, the passengers, workers and those that deal with transportation laws so that there is sharing of ideas so that we have a coherent outcome,” he said.
As of April 29, 459 motorist were arrested in Harare and had their vehicles impounded.
