Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Check Point Desk
PIRATE taxis (mushikashika) have resurfaced, operating from an illegal rank on Leopold Takawira Street popularly known as Avondale rank, situated near Cleveland House, the City’s Works Department, in the heart of Harare’s central business district (CBD).
The return comes barely two weeks after municipal officers cleared them out, following a publication by The Herald that showed dereliction of duty as they were operating under the authorities’ noses.
The illegal rank, operates just a block away from Townhouse, where officials have a clear view of the illegality through the windows, yet it continues.
Unlike their counterparts who operate in stealth, dodging police patrols and swooping up passengers at other busy intersections, the pirate taxis on Leopold Takawira Street queue openly.
Car washers can also be seen cleaning these illegal pirate taxis, which is against the city’s bylaws and can attract a fine of US$46.
Meanwhile, municipal officers are seen getting in and out, passing through the rank, which is just a stone’s throw away from Cleveland House, where those who have been clamped are required to pay fines.
When contacted for comment, Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Stanley Gama said: “Despite our best efforts to remove them, the pirate taxis always seem to resurface. We’ve attempted to block their access with barricades, but they typically return after our municipal officers finish their shifts at 4 pm. Our main challenge is that we don’t have enough manpower, which hinders our ability to effectively enforce the laws.”
