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Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
Harare City Council has advised public vehicle owners to renew their rank discs to avoid being banned from operating around the city.
In a statement last week, Town Clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango said such operators needed to comply and play their part of contributing towards service delivery.
“All public vehicle operators with expired rank discs, including taxis, commuter omnibuses and conventional buses should regularise (renew their rank discs) their operations,” he said.
“Council will soon ban those operating with expired documents. Anyone doing business in Harare should contribute towards service delivery.”
The rank discs cost $75 per term.
But Greater Harare Association of Commuter Operators (GHACO) secretary-general Mr Ngonidzashe Katsvairo hit back: “Inasmuch as council expects us to pay the rank fees, it should also consider the services it is giving if they can be equated with the money we are paying.
“There are no lights at all and it is not safe for our passengers . Passengers need to protect themselves from either hot weather or the rains.” but there are no shades in the ranks. The toilets are always in a bad state and they need proper maintenence.”
Mr Katsvairo said council should refurbish the ranks and manage them well and also evict touts.
“The local authority should refurbish structures at the ranks and use part of the money they collect from us to do that,” he said. “It means they are channelling the revenue to some other things.
“Although municipal police arrest touts here and there that method is not sustainable because these people are causing disorder at the ranks. They also demand to be paid when we have already paid to council and we think that council should engage us and allow us to employ touts that we can control.”
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