The Sunday Mail
Leroy Dzenga
Senior Reporter
The advent of coronavirus, which is transmitted through person-to-person contact, prompted Government to suspend the operation of privately-owned public transport providers on March 30, 2020.
State-owned public transporter, Zupco, was given the sole mandate to operate the urban mass public transport system.
However, daring private operators have been deploying their vehicles onto the city’s roads, where they are constantly evading law enforcement and in some instances allegedly paying bribes.
Pirate taxis have also been employing similar tactics.
Illegal transporters have been exploiting opportunities borne out of Zupco’s challenges.
The parastatal is in the process of rebuilding its fleet after over a decade of inactivity.
Blitz
A fortnight ago, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) launched an operation meant to rid the roads of pirate taxis (mushikashika) and commuter omnibuses operating outside the Zupco franchise.
“Since the start of the operation, a total of 7 362 vehicles have been accounted for by the police for various traffic offences,” police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told The Sunday Mail.
The operation unfortunately coincided with the withdrawal of services by several private transporters under the Zupco franchise citing delayed payments and low returns.
Transport challenges have increased both the time and cost associated with commuting.
Government believes clamping down on unregistered public transporters and pirate taxis is in the public interest due to the exponential rise in robberies and accidents.
Local Government and Public Works Deputy Minister Marian Chombo on Thursday told the Senate that there has also been an increase in unroadworthy vehicles on the roads.
She said Government plans to increase the number and frequency of commuter trains servicing urban areas as one of the immediate solutions to the transport blues.
“I am not promising that things are now well but they are going to improve because we spoke to the Minister of Transport (and Infrastructural Development) to increase the number of trains carrying people to and from work to ease the problem,” she said.
Zupco says part of the challenges were caused by the impasse over payments between the company and operators under its franchise.
“In the past, we have faced similar problems but we continue to listen and correct so that in the end we all fulfil our mandate to serve the commuting public,” it recently said in a statement.
Zupco acting chief executive officer Mr Evaristo Madangwa could not respond to questions from this publication by the time of going to print.
Back at work
However, Greater Harare Commuter Omnibus Operators secretary-general Mr Ngoni Katsvairo said they are now “back at work” after engaging the Government.
“We engaged the Government and we are now back at work.
“We are buying spare parts in United States dollars, and where the spares suppliers accept local currency, they are chasing the street exchange rate,” said Mr Katsvairo.
Experts believe the solution to the mass public transport system lies in thoroughly understanding the challenges and crafting appropriate measures.
Mr Shingai Kawadza, a Harare-based regional and urban planner, said urban public transport is an area where proposed strategies and decisions must be backed by accurate and factual data rather than conjecture.
“For example, data is critical in understanding vehicular demand, infrastructure needs, size of fleet needed per route, disposable income of passengers and parking demands. This can only be achieved through research that will inform policy,” he said.
“The first noble idea is to increase the number of buses and encourage importers to invest in importing buses rather than vehicles with a relatively small carrying capacity.”
Although Zupco’s growing fleet is currently not enough to meet demand, it is believed that an efficient system will make a marked difference in providing convenience to the commuting public.
Apparently turnaround times for most buses are made longer by Harare’s notorious peak-hour traffic congestion.
For example, buses serving the Kuwadzana route can be stuck in traffic for hours on end during peak hours when ordinarily it takes 20 to 25 minutes to commute to the suburb.
While the bus is stuck in traffic, queues in the city would be growing.
In 2021, the Government ordered the creation of express lanes for public transport to deal with the problem.
City of Harare introduced bus lanes on a few streets in the Central Business District, but it has been failing to ensure that the motoring public exclusively reserve the lanes for buses.
Harare’s acting principal planner Mr Brian Zvomuya said they are implementing the Government’s directive, which they hope will make Harare more navigable for public service vehicles.
“Bus lanes are being implemented under a Government programme to decongest the city. A taskforce chaired by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works was formed to deal with the issue of congestion.
“Bus-only lanes were done on Robert Mugabe Way, Cameron leading to Copacabana then into Jason Moyo Avenue. This pilot route was to be extended to other parts of the city,” Mr Zvomuya said.
The lanes are yet to spread to other sections of the city like Simon Muzenda Street and Samora Machel Avenue, which are equally busy transit routes for buses.
“Please note that bus-only lanes work better where the road space is adequate, putting them where space is limited results in serious congestion,” warned Mr Zvomuya.
For the concept to be fully operational, he added, there is need for jersey barriers to separate bus lanes from the rest of the lanes.
“In our case, we need more buses to justify having these lanes.
“There are, however, still opportunities in that these lanes can be used during peak periods only and open them for use by other modes of transport during off-peak periods.”
He said the system can be extended to roads outside the CBD that have adequate space for expansion.
“Whilst we are thinking of road expansion, let us not forget about other possible solutions such as promotion of mass transit systems, changing driving behaviour and promotion of other modes of transport like cycling and walking.
“The point I am trying to make here is that we should approach our transport issues in a holistic manner.
“The issue above cuts across a broad spectrum of related fields.”
Zimstat is in the process of processing data gathered during the census, which authorities will also use to come up with a more data-driven solution for urban transport.
In his address to commemorate 2022 Workers’ Day celebrations, President Mnangagwa directed Zupco to immediately find a solution to the transport challenges.
“You, as our workers, deserve an efficient and affordable transport system so that production time as well as your family time is not lost in the transport queues,” said the President.
“During peak hours, workers must be transported with the greatest ease.
“I, therefore, direct authorities at Zupco and the responsible ministry to heed this call and bring back order in the sector.
“There are no residential areas which are more important than others.
“All communities must be treated equally, for this is the true meaning of our hard-won Independence and the current development drive that leaves no one and no place behind.”
