South Africa-bound bus causes chaos in Bulawayo

A South Africa-bound bus has caused significant disruption to businesses along 6th Avenue and Fife Street in Bulawayo, with the vehicle blocking shop entrances and parking spaces for over eight hours on Monday. The unbranded bus was clamped by members of Trendy Three Investments (TTI) for picking up passengers in an undesignated area, but continued to operate throughout the day, leading to widespread frustration among business owners and passengers alike.

The bus, which was parked at the corner of Fife Street and 6th Avenue, obstructed access to several businesses, prompting complaints from local owners. The situation worsened when the bus crew continued to take fares from passengers, under the false impression that the bus would depart once it was full.

By 12:00 noon, passengers had begun purchasing tickets for the journey to South Africa, unaware that the vehicle had already been clamped earlier in the morning. As the hours dragged on, the bus crew continued to collect money, leading to confusion and mounting irritation. Some passengers, stranded with no other options, resorted to using the toilets at a nearby bar and grill known as Snappies, owned by local businessman Mr. Winston Babbage.

"The bus has been blocking entrances to our businesses and taking up parking spaces for hours. Passengers have been using our toilets all day, and it's affecting our operations," said Mr. Babbage.

One passenger, who bought a ticket at 11:00 a.m., said she was told the bus would leave before lunch. However, by 2:00 p.m., she learned the vehicle had been clamped, leaving her stranded in the city.

"I need to be back at work on New Year's Day, so I had no choice but to use this bus. I only found out the bus had been clamped when I asked the driver around 2:00 p.m.," the frustrated passenger, who asked not to be named, said.

Another business owner, whose shop was also impacted by the obstruction, contacted TTI to inquire about the bus's status, but received no satisfactory answer.

"We were told the bus was clamped, but eight hours later, there's still no sign of it being towed. Our customers can't park anywhere because the bus is blocking all the spaces," the business owner said.

Despite the growing frustration, the bus crew declined to speak with Chronicle reporters about the situation.

As the day wore on, passengers remained in limbo, and business owners continued to deal with the disruption caused by the illegally parked bus. The incident highlights ongoing issues with pirating buses in the city, as well as the lack of enforcement in managing such transport disruptions.