News / Local
Holiday travellers in a fix
21 Dec 2013 at 01:05hrs | Views
HOLIDAY travellers are in a fix. Local and cross-border transporters have astronomically hiked fares, some by more than 100 percent, as they cash in on desperate travellers.
A snap survey established that transport operators, mainly those plying long distance rural routes and cross border operators, had increased their fares.
A trip from Bulawayo to Sipepa in Tsholotsho, normally pegged at $7, has risen to $15 while the usual $5 fare to Gwanda and Nkayi now costs between $8 and $10.
Harare transporters have hiked their fares to $15 from $12 with some saying they will go up to $20 this weekend.
Despite the increase in fares, scores of travellers were seen boarding buses at long distance termini in Nkulumane, Entumbane and Renkini while some were seen standing on the highways waiting for private vehicles.
Cross border transporters are also cashing in on the increased human traffic of Zimbabweans coming home from countries such as Botswana and South Africa while others will be going out on holiday.
Hleziphi Ngwenya, who arrived in Bulawayo in the morning from Johannesburg, said she paid 660 rand from the usual 300 rand.
Others said they paid 800 rand.
"I opted for the bus because omalayitsha are now charging up to 1,200 rand," Ngwenya said.
Travellers from Francistown and Gaborone in Botswana have not been spared either. A conductor of a bus plying the Bulawayo-Gaborone route said they were charging P200 from P150 while the Bulawayo to Francistown trip now costs P100 from P70.
A snap survey established that transport operators, mainly those plying long distance rural routes and cross border operators, had increased their fares.
A trip from Bulawayo to Sipepa in Tsholotsho, normally pegged at $7, has risen to $15 while the usual $5 fare to Gwanda and Nkayi now costs between $8 and $10.
Harare transporters have hiked their fares to $15 from $12 with some saying they will go up to $20 this weekend.
Despite the increase in fares, scores of travellers were seen boarding buses at long distance termini in Nkulumane, Entumbane and Renkini while some were seen standing on the highways waiting for private vehicles.
Hleziphi Ngwenya, who arrived in Bulawayo in the morning from Johannesburg, said she paid 660 rand from the usual 300 rand.
Others said they paid 800 rand.
"I opted for the bus because omalayitsha are now charging up to 1,200 rand," Ngwenya said.
Travellers from Francistown and Gaborone in Botswana have not been spared either. A conductor of a bus plying the Bulawayo-Gaborone route said they were charging P200 from P150 while the Bulawayo to Francistown trip now costs P100 from P70.
Source - chronicle
