News / Local
Taxi war looms in Bulawayo
20 Mar 2016 at 05:26hrs | Views
A TAXI war is looming in Bulawayo after commuter omnibuses that are not registered under the two companies recognised under the city's public transport policy have been banned from using various ranks within the city.
This comes amid reports that some operators are refusing to join the two companies recognised by the Bulawayo City Council — Bulawayo Public Transport Association (Bupta) and Tshova-Mubaiwa.
The council is further refusing to renew registration of commuter omnibuses which do not fall under these two companies, thereby rendering them illegal.
In the latest developments rank marshals and touts employed by Bupta have reportedly been barring operators not registered with the company to load passengers from Egodini bus terminus. The unregistered operators have gone on to defy the move by loading at undesignated areas leading to running battles with municipal police and further clashes with registered operators.
It is further alleged that these companies have employed bouncers to man various routes, especially in the western areas, who bar the unregistered kombis from picking up passengers, even going to the extent of forcing passengers to disembark.
BCC senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu confirmed that the local authority was no longer recognising any commuter operator not registered with the two companies. She said the implementation of the policy was now in full swing and they were just addressing a few snags within the system.
"The policy is being implemented and we are attending to some of the implementation snags and the signing of the service level agreements. There is a council resolution which guides and informs the implementation of the public transport policy. Council resolved that the Public Transport Policy be implemented and council resolved to sign with two companies with a possibility of a third company.
"As part of the implementation strategy all operators have been asked to belong to the two companies and at the moment we do not issue renewal to any operator who is not from the mentioned companies. All operators wishing to operate in Bulawayo must comply with the public transport policy," said Mrs Mpofu.
When a Sunday News crew visited Egodini bus terminus last Friday, rank marshals and touts employed by Bupta were barring commuter omnibuses without the company's logos from loading, alleging that they were not allowed to operate because of the public transport policy.
Bupta association secretary Mr Costan Sayi said what was happening was illegal hence as an association they would fight it until normalcy returns.
"Maybe to clarify first, I must state from the onset that there is a difference between Bupta the company and Bupta the association. The company is actually trying to arm-twist kombi operators into joining them by using such uncouth methods.
"I personally laid a complaint with BCC and they said what is happening is illegal. We are also in the process of engaging our lawyers to see how we can fight this, we would have understood if it was council barring operators but it's an individual," said Mr Sayi.
This comes amid reports that some operators are refusing to join the two companies recognised by the Bulawayo City Council — Bulawayo Public Transport Association (Bupta) and Tshova-Mubaiwa.
The council is further refusing to renew registration of commuter omnibuses which do not fall under these two companies, thereby rendering them illegal.
In the latest developments rank marshals and touts employed by Bupta have reportedly been barring operators not registered with the company to load passengers from Egodini bus terminus. The unregistered operators have gone on to defy the move by loading at undesignated areas leading to running battles with municipal police and further clashes with registered operators.
It is further alleged that these companies have employed bouncers to man various routes, especially in the western areas, who bar the unregistered kombis from picking up passengers, even going to the extent of forcing passengers to disembark.
BCC senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu confirmed that the local authority was no longer recognising any commuter operator not registered with the two companies. She said the implementation of the policy was now in full swing and they were just addressing a few snags within the system.
"As part of the implementation strategy all operators have been asked to belong to the two companies and at the moment we do not issue renewal to any operator who is not from the mentioned companies. All operators wishing to operate in Bulawayo must comply with the public transport policy," said Mrs Mpofu.
When a Sunday News crew visited Egodini bus terminus last Friday, rank marshals and touts employed by Bupta were barring commuter omnibuses without the company's logos from loading, alleging that they were not allowed to operate because of the public transport policy.
Bupta association secretary Mr Costan Sayi said what was happening was illegal hence as an association they would fight it until normalcy returns.
"Maybe to clarify first, I must state from the onset that there is a difference between Bupta the company and Bupta the association. The company is actually trying to arm-twist kombi operators into joining them by using such uncouth methods.
"I personally laid a complaint with BCC and they said what is happening is illegal. We are also in the process of engaging our lawyers to see how we can fight this, we would have understood if it was council barring operators but it's an individual," said Mr Sayi.
Source - sundaynews
