Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
GWANDA Municipality has announced a significant tightening of measures against unregistered taxi operators, following widespread public outcry over reckless driving and blatant disregard for local by-laws. The move comes as the town grapples with escalating traffic chaos caused by illegal taxis picking up and dropping off passengers at undesignated points and obstructing other vehicles.
These operators have notably transformed the Engen Garage in the town centre into an unauthorised rank, exacerbating congestion and disorder.
Addressing taxi operators recently, Gwanda Mayor, Alderman Thulani Moyo, said drivers must adopt safer and more responsible driving practices. He urged those operating unregistered taxis to formalise their businesses.
“There is now a lot of commotion and disorder in town, causing chaos and violating council by-laws. Some taxi operators have become a menace on our roads and at Engen Garage. They recklessly pull over and merge into traffic without checking for other vehicles, creating chaos and posing a significant risk to other drivers.
“This behaviour instils fear in other motorists and makes pedestrians feel unsafe. Some operators even stop in the middle of the road to pick up passengers, further worsening the situation. Such actions lead to road accidents,” said Alderman Moyo.
He said that some unregistered taxis have been implicated in robbery cases.
“These taxi operators should register for public transport services, allowing us to assign designated ranks for their operations. This would help restore order in our town and eliminate the chaos caused by their current practice of picking up and dropping off passengers randomly,” said Alderman Moyo.
He urged taxi operators to use designated pick-up points and to register for easier co-ordination and identification through their own structures.
Alderman Moyo said registered taxi operators should not allow unregistered ones to operate and warned that the council’s police department would intensify patrols to ensure offenders are brought to book.
“The Engen Garage area is congested due to long-distance taxis bound for destinations like Manama and Beitbridge. These taxis occupy most of the space, blocking access and parking for other users, particularly those visiting nearby businesses like Chicken Inn.
“This has created a parking crisis and hindered smooth traffic flow. All taxi operators using Engen Garage as a terminal should relocate to the designated bus rank in Jahunda immediately. This move will help decongest the area, improve traffic flow, and support our efforts to achieve Vision 2030 by creating a cleaner and more organised town,” said Alderman Moyo.
Speaking at the same occasion, Gwanda local taxis rank marshal, Mr Bigboy Tshuma, said unregistered taxis were tarnishing the image of registered operators, who load passengers at designated ranks and depart only when full, without picking up passengers randomly around town.
Mr Tshuma said the unregistered taxis move around hooting and picking up passengers anywhere in the CBD. He urged passengers to board vehicles from designated ranks.
“Residents often approach us with complaints about poor treatment by taxi drivers. When we investigate, they mention the vehicle had yellow number plates, which indicates it is not one of our registered members. We advice residents to use our reliable transport services, which operate under our constitution, ensuring they can receive assistance whenever issues arise,” he said.
Mr Tshuma reiterated their commitment to compliance, saying they would continue to adhere to set regulations and guidelines. — @DubeMatutu
