Chronicle Editor
Flora Fadzai Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
VILLAGERS around Binga are worried about speeding buses that compete for customers on the road.
The buses travel at night as they will be avoiding traffic.
The scramble to get more customers starts at the ranks in Bulawayo as the conductors fight each other over passengers.
The bus ranks buzz with the noise coming from different directions but the most striking is of conductors running around shouting their destinations and forcefully grabbing the luggage belonging to customers, as a way of deciding for them which bus they should board.
One would think the struggle has ended as the buses head to Binga. However, the situation becomes worse as the buses start racing trying to be the first to reach their destination so they can get fresh customers to ride back home.
As much bus crews view this as a clever tactic for getting customers, Chief Siachilaba of Binga said it is very dangerous as it can lead to loss of life.
He said drivers return to Bulawayo during the day and their recklessness is making it hard even for parents to let their children go to school unaccompanied.
“This is a very dangerous tactic. These buses race on the roads forgetting there are people and animals who also use the same roads. Parents are not comfortable with sending their children to school alone as they fear putting their lives in danger,” he said.
The chief said the worst part was that they travel to Binga at night meaning they are at a higher risk of getting involved in accidents.
He said Binga is already facing a high rate of accidents, with the most recent claiming four lives, so there was need for bus drivers to be cautious.
“We are appealing to the traffic people and the police to try and control the bus drivers so they can be cautious on our roads. If that is not considered a lot of people might lose their lives,” added the chief.
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