Transport woes hit Byo

TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO 

Commuters in Bulawayo say the ban on commuter operators have left them stranded as the state-owned public transporter, ZUPCO has failed service the growing demand.

Two years ago, the government directed that only ZUPCO can service   suburban  routes across the country. The administration also  extended the ZUPCO franchise to private bus operators to service the urban routes.

The commuters are now pushing the government to allow private commuter omnibuses  to operate urban routes to ease transport challenges in the city.

“We have always urged  government to liberalise the transport industry so that people can choose what they want to travel with to their respective destinations,”  Thembelani Dube, the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association secretary said.

He added: “Bulawayo residents out-number the ZUPCO buses and commuter omnibuses so the issue of monopoly will not work especially considering that schools will be open soon.

This will cause traffic congestion defeating the whole purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19 people because people will be overcrowded waiting for transport.”

Government decreed that all public transporters in urban centres should be registered under the ZUPCO as this will bring sanity to the transport sector.

Dube said more commuter omnibuses should be allowed to operate.

“…People are mature enough to choose for themselves according to what suits their pockets. Besides, some of the drivers and conductors are stubborn and rude as they refuse to drop passengers at their dropping off points.”

A Bulawayo resident Ntando Khupe said they wait for  long hours for ZUPCO transport to pick them up.

“As residents we are disappointed with the government for banning private transport. As citizens we are supposed to have freedom of choice. We must choose the transport that we feel like. We are always  late for work because we wait for more than an hour for us to get a ZUPCO bus,” Khupe said.