adminKOMBI drivers that drove and skidded dangerously at the Simon Vengesai Muzenda Street (formerly Fourth Street) terminus on Tuesday should have been arrested for reckless driving and endangering commuters.
The kombi crews were apparently mourning the death of one tout known as “Macheso” or “Baba Sharo”.
He was reported to be one of the long serving touts at the rank and had established himself as an elder.
He was treated as a celebrity by other touts.
Touts have a rugged reputation for harassing commuters and stealing from them.
Some have previously been jailed for indecently assaulting women at ranks.
In 2015, two touts who were filmed at the same bus rank indecently assaulting a young lady.
They were arrested, convicted and jailed for 12 months.
This, however, did not deter the touts as they have become more hardened over the years. If at all, they have become more aggressive and violent in their dealings with passengers.
They have made terminus uncomfortable places for women and girls because of their uncouth behaviour.
Touts are generally vulgar in speech and obscene in behaviour, and sadly this has been overlooked over the years, creating new forms of rascals.
Just how they continue tormenting commuters on a daily basis is difficult to fathom.
Are our cops doing anything about these hoodlums or they have lost the war.
Why is it that we only focus on safe driving during the festive season and Easter period?
Daily motorists are bullied on the road by the dangerous driving of kombi and mushikashika drivers with impunity.
They have no regard whatsoever for road or driving rules.
It’s about them and other motorists have no choice but to make way for them to protect their vehicles from these ramshackle kombis and mushikashikas.
And if the drivers and their touts could openly display their rowdiness at a busy commuter rank with nothing happening to them, surely nothing will happen to them far from the madding crowd.
When did rowdiness become a form of mourning in our country.
How do you celebrate someone’s life through acts of lawlessness.
Just goes to show the calibre of folks entrusted with transporting thousands of commuters on a daily basis.
We have essentially surrendered our entire commuting public into the hands of hooligans.
This rogue behaviour must be punished and police should deal harshly with these uncultured kombi crews.
Commuter operators must train the crews they hire proper customer care.
Were it not for a transport crisis, people wouldn’t be using these death traps.
Commuter safety should always be prioritised
The same noise operators made when appealing to return to the road after the Covid-19 lockdowns, is the same effort they should be putting in passenger safety.
Online Reporter