Residents boycott kombis

Mashudu Netsianda Senior Reporter
COWDRAY Park residents yesterday started boycotting boarding commuter omnibuses that charge more than R5 for a trip to the city centre.When Chronicle visited the high density suburb yesterday, several empty kombis could be seen moving around touting for commuters with a majority of people shunning them.

They were charging R6 for a trip to the city centre. Residents who spoke to this paper said they had resorted to boarding private vehicles and Tshova Mubaiwa kombis, which are charging R5.

“We have stopped boarding kombis for as long as they continue to stick to their R6. We are resisting those fares which they arrived at without consulting us. Kombi operators don’t want to listen and its either they pull out or comply,” said Ms Mavis Sibindi, a resident.

Another resident, Mr Mfanasibili Ncube said: “I boarded a private car this morning (yesterday) and I paid R5. We have actually agreed as residents of Cowdray Park to pay R5 for a trip to the city centre and we will not board kombis that charge more than that.”

An inconclusive meeting involving owners of commuter omnibuses plying the route, their drivers and residents was held yesterday afternoon at Basch Street Terminus, popularly known as Egodini. The meeting failed to yield positive results as drivers and touts defied kombi owners by refusing to revert to the R5 fare.

During the meeting, taxi owners bowed to pressure from residents and they agreed to revert to the old fares while negotiations continued between the two parties.

The decision to revert back to the old fare was immediately challenged by drivers and touts. They argued that the money did not match the distance.

“We will not go back to the R5 because that is a disadvantage to us. As drivers and conductors we have families to look after and if we continue to charge R5 we will not be able to meet our targets. The money that we are forced to charge does not match the long distances that we cover in Cowdray Park and the operational costs are high,” said Mr Jacob Nyoni, a kombi driver.

The route chairperson under the Bulawayo Public Transporters Association (Bupta), Mr Nandi Sibanda and the chairperson of the taskforce committee representing residents, Mr Michael Ndlovu said they had agreed to revert to the R5 fare as negotiations continue.

“We met on Sunday as residents, police and owners of the kombis plying the route at Luveve Police Station and it was agreed that operators would stick to R5 fare. We were however, surprised that the drivers and touts are now resisting the move. We intend to have another meeting soon,” he said.

Mr Sibanda said: “We directed our drivers to comply with the resolution that we made during our meeting. Sadly some of them are still defying that order and that is an issue that we are now looking at as owners of the taxis plying the route.”

Cowdray Park Councillor Collet Ndlovu said they would soon engage the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development over the issue.

“The taskforce, that we formed last week following an outcry over unjustified increase of fares by some kombi operators, will engage the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. We want the Government to gazette the fares,” said Clr Ndlovu.

The taskforce comprises 34 members drawn from both Bulawayo Residents Association (Bura) and Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (Bupra).

Kombi operators and residents of Cowdray Park have since August been involved in a battle over fares. Last week residents issued the errant kombi operators with a three-day ultimatum which lapsed on Friday. They had threatened to block the vehicles from plying the route yesterday.

Commuter transport operators plying the route unilaterally increased fares from R5 to R7, citing increased operation costs, including the price of fuel.

The operators say the distance from the city centre to the furthest area of Cowdray Park is 25km.