News / Local
Rogue touts harass passengers at Roadport in Harare
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Scores of passengers were harassed at the Roadport bus terminus in Harare on Saturday in an incident that has drawn widespread condemnation. Several passengers, who had boarded a bus heading to Mutare on a new route, were forcibly removed from the vehicle by rogue touts, causing chaos at the terminal.
The incident, described as a "day of shame" by witnesses, saw the touts intimidating passengers and even a bus driver, despite the driver having the necessary route permit. The bus was diverted away from its intended route, with passengers being told to board a different bus heading to Shamva, as the touts acted as if they controlled bus movements at the terminus.
A bus driver who witnessed the disturbing scenes expressed frustration over the situation. "What we have witnessed today is very bad, and we call for the perpetrators to be brought to book. They humiliated travellers and the bus driver as if they were the law themselves. The bus driver had the proper route permit, yet they forced him to divert and take passengers to Shamva, as though they control bus operations," said the driver.
H-Metro visited Roadport to find several passengers being harassed, their luggage being taken away, and them being pushed onto other buses against their will. The chaos was compounded by the disruptive actions of the touts, who seemed to operate without fear of retribution.
Tafadzwa Simbarasi, a spokesperson for the courts, responded to the incident, emphasizing that authorities were investigating the matter. "We are looking into what transpired with a view to taking action against such touts. We encourage order at the ranks, as well as ensuring the safety of travelers," Simbarasi said.
This latest harassment follows a nationwide crackdown on touts, which began in June under the "No To Touts" operation. The initiative, launched by the police, saw numerous touts arrested, but incidents like the one at Roadport suggest that the problem persists in certain areas. Authorities have pledged to continue their efforts to ensure order at bus ranks and protect passengers from such harassment.
The incident, described as a "day of shame" by witnesses, saw the touts intimidating passengers and even a bus driver, despite the driver having the necessary route permit. The bus was diverted away from its intended route, with passengers being told to board a different bus heading to Shamva, as the touts acted as if they controlled bus movements at the terminus.
A bus driver who witnessed the disturbing scenes expressed frustration over the situation. "What we have witnessed today is very bad, and we call for the perpetrators to be brought to book. They humiliated travellers and the bus driver as if they were the law themselves. The bus driver had the proper route permit, yet they forced him to divert and take passengers to Shamva, as though they control bus operations," said the driver.
H-Metro visited Roadport to find several passengers being harassed, their luggage being taken away, and them being pushed onto other buses against their will. The chaos was compounded by the disruptive actions of the touts, who seemed to operate without fear of retribution.
Tafadzwa Simbarasi, a spokesperson for the courts, responded to the incident, emphasizing that authorities were investigating the matter. "We are looking into what transpired with a view to taking action against such touts. We encourage order at the ranks, as well as ensuring the safety of travelers," Simbarasi said.
This latest harassment follows a nationwide crackdown on touts, which began in June under the "No To Touts" operation. The initiative, launched by the police, saw numerous touts arrested, but incidents like the one at Roadport suggest that the problem persists in certain areas. Authorities have pledged to continue their efforts to ensure order at bus ranks and protect passengers from such harassment.
Source - hmetro
