August 5, 2019

Zim Commuters disgruntled over transport fee hikes

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Private transport operators in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, have hiked bus fares again by up to 40% following another fuel price increase on Saturday.

Fares from most of Harare’s suburbs to the Central Business District
(CBD) have risen from RTGS$2 to RTGS$3 and RTGS$4 depending on the time of the day, as private transport operators hike fares during peak hours.

Transport operators say they have no choice but to pass on the costs to
commuters who will have to ‘dig deeper’ into their pockets to travel. But
the travelling public say they are over stretched and some have resorted to walking to reach their destinations.

“Spare parts are being sold in hard currency and at times we get fuel on
the black market where the prices are ever changing,” said Clemence
Simon, a commuter omnibus driver who plies the Harare – Chitungwiza
route.

Chitungwiza is a dormitory town 30 kilometres south of Harare. Passengers from the town to Harare are paying between RTGS$5 and RTGS$8 for a single trip.

Some commuters are now using open trucks and private cars to travel, while others have to endure long hours in queues waiting for the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company mass public transport introduced by government to cushion the public from the high fares charged by private transport operators.

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