dyton mupawaendaTrust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
Commuters have expressed outrage over the practice of hiking fares whenever it rains during peak hours.
The situation is further exacerbated by reckless driving, which often leads to congestion and allows the few available kombis to charge exorbitant prices.
On Wednesday, chaos erupted in the central business district as commuters were left stranded due to a shortage of kombis, with many stuck in traffic congestion.
The few operators who managed to navigate through the congestion took advantage of the situation, increasing their fares by over 50 percent. Fares for popular routes skyrocketed, with trips to Waterfalls, Budiriro, Glen View, and Glen Norah doubling from US$1 to US$2 during peak hours.
Even reputable operators, who claim to be part of legitimate associations such as the Greater Harare Association of Commuter Operators (GHACCO) and The Zimbabwe Union of Drivers and Conductors (ZUDAC), joined in on the fare hikes, matching the inflated fares of those operating from unauthorised pick-up points.
Commuters heading to Chitungwiza were also hit with steep increases, with fares jumping from US$1 and US$1.50 during peak hours to $2.50.
In an attempt to avoid handling change, some touts were quoting a flat rate of US$5 for two passengers travelling to Chitungwiza.
Similarly, commuters heading to Norton were also being charged US$5 for two.
In separate interviews, commuters described the hike as daylight robbery saying it was unjustified.
“We should just boycott these kombis,” a man who only identified himself as Tawanda from Budiriro said. “This is totally unjustified; fares cannot be determined by weather.”
Another commuter, Ms Charlotte Mazanza from Glen View, lambasted associations such as GHACCO and ZUDAC, as well as their inspectors, for abandoning the ranks and leaving commuters at the mercy of touts.
“They always say ‘report to us,’ but they are nowhere to be found,” she said. “What is the importance of having an association when they are just behaving like mushikashika (illegal taxi operators)?”
Mr Clive Mavhunga from Chitungwiza attributed the fare hike to bad driving, which often leads to congestion.
“The problem we have in Zimbabwe is that whenever it rains, drivers start to disregard road rules and even run through a red robot,” he said. “They cannot even respect a give-way sign, and they create congestion that takes up to three hours to clear. This means that kombi drivers won’t be able to meet their targets, and they end up charging exorbitant fares.”
A kombi driver, who only identified himself as Tindo, blamed employers for demanding a daily target of US$100, despite weather challenges.
“Due to congestion, I lose trips and still have to meet the target. If owners reduced daily targets on rainy days, drivers wouldn’t hike fares,” he said.
When contacted for comment, Greater Harare Association of Commuter Operators (GHACCO) secretary general Mr Ngoni Katsvairo blamed rank barons for hiking fares, adding that they had totally lost control.
“It is not our policy to hike fares,” he said. “However as was reported in your paper yesterday, our vehicles, ranks and fares are controlled by space barons.
“It is our wish that ranks be controlled by associations and their employees. They should do this in conjunction with council enforcement, this is the only lasting solution to bring order and sanity in the public transport sector.”
ZUDAC president Mr Fradreck Maguramhinga echoed the same sentiments, blaming touts for imposing fares.
“When we have rains, that is not a passport for people to say, we are now going to hike these fares. It’s absolutely not, absolutely against our policy, against our vision,” he said.
“However, we now have rank barons who claim to carry executive powers and they are very violent, so they are the ones that are imposing fares. Once they are removed, I am sure we will be able to control fares.”
