The current transport problems that is currently being experienced by commuters was worsened last week when the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company {ZUPCO] increased fares by 100%.
As if that is not enough, commuters are waiting for longer hours at bus ranks without observing social distancing in this time where the Covid-19 virus is spreading across the country.
The continuous price hike of ZUPCO fares however continue to affect the commuters negatively given the current situation where Zimbabweans are facing economic hardship with the Zimbabwean dollar which is continuing to lose value.
The old $30 fare routes, have doubled to $60 while the old $45 fare routes now cost $90.
The Zupco kombis, most of which were on shorter routes and charging $60 are now charging $80 and those that used to charge $90 routes will now charge $120.
A commuter at Copacabana terminus, Mr JC Tsuro of Dzivarasekwa extension said the increase in ZUPCO fares is affecting him in this time where Zimbabwe is facing financial problems however he urged the government to increase buses to ensure that commuters don’t spent a lot of time at ranks in this time when the 3rd wave is spreading across the country.
“The situation is hard we can’t do anything to change it we will try to cope with it but the government must continuously add more buses and allow private operators to assist in reducing the transport problems, however we urge the government to also regularize the price of private operators maybe our problems will be addressed,” he said.
Another commuter of Kuwadzana 5 reiterated that ZUPCO being a mass public transport system with a motto of being safe, reliable and affordable it should not have doubled fares whilst insisting that even if the government increase the fleet of buses without addressing the prices it won’t change anything.
“We are suffering our salaries are not enough to pay higher amounts of bus fares so the increase is painful but we will remain resilient we have nothing to do but to cope with the situation however l don’t see any point of increasing ZUPCO buses if they are not affordable, like this transport problem will always persist in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Furthermore, a Dzivarasekwa extension commuter who called himself Mr Jay B reiterated that although the ZUPCO bus fare increase was affecting them he was afraid for his life as people are being exposed to Covid-19 in the long winding queues.
“We are suffering we can’t afford the new prices and we are also afraid because we are at higher risk of contracting Covid-19, there is no sanitization and social distancing, buses are very few and can’t accommodate all of us.” fumed Jay B.
Efforts to hear comments from ZUPCO on the ongoing disaster was futile as Acting Chief Executive Officer {CEO} Mr Evaristo Madangwa’s phone rang unanswered.
Meanwhile, addressing mourners at the burial of the late national hero Major General (Retired) Clever Shadreck Chiramba at the National Heroes Acre in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa warned Zimbabweans that the new COVID-19 variants were highly transmissible and much more deadly however Mnangagwa’s warning will be fruitless if the current overcrowding being witnessed at ZUPCO ranks is not addressed in time.
As part of improving transport challenges, government said it will buy 667 buses from China by year-end, with the delivery of the first batch of 100 buses expected soon but the continuous price increase of ZUPCO will not improve but worsen the transport situation that the country is already facing.
