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The operation is aimed at eliminating illegal pick-up points in the city centre and reducing accidents by barring kombis from passing through the city centre with passengers.
A majority of the impounded vehicles were unroadworthy as they did not have a certificate of fitness from the Vehicle Inspection Depot.
Police said the rest had glaringdefects that put the lives of passengers at risk.
There has been an outcry from kombi drivers who have accused police officers of owning the vehicles that pick and drop passengers at undesignated points.
The drivers also complained that the operation was skewed in favour of the Tshova Mubaiwa Transport Cooperative as their vehicles were the only ones being allowed to go as far as TM Hyper with passengers.
“We are being persecuted by police who know very well that the kombis found at illegal points are owned by police officers. We do not need this operation, police just need to remove their vehicles from undesignated pick-up points,” complained a driver.
Another driver said commuters had started boarding private cars because they would drop them off in the city centre.
“We are losing business because the operation is favouring Tshova-Mubaiwa. We are now struggling to get passengers from the residential areas as they prefer Tshova-Mubaiwa which leaves them at TM Hyper.
We are only allowed to go as far as Egodini (Basch Street terminus). Private cars are now also making a killing as people now prefer them,” said another driver.
Contacted for comment, the acting police spokesperson for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Assistant Inspector Bekimpilo Ndlovu, said all kombis found illegally picking or dropping passengers were being impounded.
“We do that without fear or favour because we have to stamp out this madness. Anyone found at illegal points will be arrested,” said Asst Insp Ndlovu.
He said the 205 drivers who were arrested were issued fines of up to $20.
“They were arrested for different offences that include using undesignated points to pick and drop passengers, driving without a defensive certificate and using a driver’s licence without medical fitness endorsements. We are, however, keeping records and anyone arrested for a second time will be sent to court for a stiffer sentence,” he said.
Asst Insp Ndlovu said the operation was bearing fruit as evidenced by the many allegations that were being made by errant drivers.
“We knew allegations would be made, but they will not force us to stop. Last week, the same drivers were boasting that we would run out of steam and now they are throwing accusations around. This shows that the operation is having the desired effect,” he said.
The police spokesperson said most drivers who were endangering the lives of residents at illegal pick-up points by suddenly speeding away when they saw police officers, were under age.
“Mature drivers who are old enough to drive public transport vehicles are normally found at the legal termini. It is often the young ones, below 25 years old, who are found blocking traffic and making sudden U-turns in front of oncoming traffic,” he said.
Asst Insp Ndlovu appealed to members of the public to assist the police to restore safety to Bulawayo’s roads by refusing to board kombis at undesignated points.
There was mayhem on Bulawayo’s roads before the operation was launched on 7 July.
A semblance of order was maintained until police dismantled roadblocks that barred kombis from entering the city centre on 27 July.
The chaos returned at once, until the operation resumed on Wednesday.
Online Reporter