VID impounds Zupco buses

Several Zimbabwe Passengers Company (Zupco) buses were impounded by the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) last week for lacking registration papers, highlighting the ongoing operational and financial troubles of the mass public transport company.

Additionally, a fuel tanker dispatched to collect fuel from the National Oil Infrastructure Company of Zimbabwe (Noic) returned empty due to non-payment, exacerbating fuel shortages that have halted Zupco operations for over a week.

Sources within Zupco report severe mismanagement, including an instance where hired buses for a Zanu-PF event in Chikomba ran out of fuel, forcing passengers to wait for refueling at a local depot.

The company's financial woes are further underscored by the fact that workers have not been paid for several months, with some regions reporting unpaid salaries since last year.

A notable instance of alleged financial misconduct involves the company being paid nearly US$12,000 by Passion Java to ferry people to an event, but workers claim they have not received any of this money.

The mismanagement and financial issues were also highlighted in an Auditor-General's report, which revealed that Zupco received substantial government subsidies without proper documentation.

Efforts to contact Zupco's acting chief executive officer, Linda Samundero, for comments have been unsuccessful. The ongoing crisis has raised concerns among workers and stakeholders, urging government intervention to rectify the situation.