Touts run amok at city bus terminus

interceding on behalf of kombi opera­tors.
Police spokesperson chief inspector James Sabau said they held a meet­ing yesterday with representatives of operators to stop the skirmishes.
The mayhem started at around 7am when more than 30 touts among them karatekas and boxers arrived at the rank in top-of-the range vehicles including black BMW X5s, Range Rovers and Mercedes Benz MLs.
Most of the touts were donning black tight fitting muscle tops inscribed “SECURITY”, expensive black designer suits and corduroy suits.
They were demanding a minimum of US$3 per kombi per trip and opera­tors had resolved not to pay protection fees, which they deemed illegal. Kombi crews that failed to pay the money were forced to offload passengers paving way for other kombis which comply with the demands.
The drivers were strangled, pulled out of the kombis, forced to kneel down to beg for forgiveness while some were slapped. Passers-by who stood to watch the free drama were also attacked.
Kombis that ply the City-Chitung­wiza route were diverted to ferry pas­sengers on the City-Msasa Park route.
Some drivers had keys plucked out of the ignition in their vehicles.
A member of Chiremba Road Omnibus Operators Association (CROOA) Mr Jackson Mavhunga con­demned the acts and said he was sur­prised by the behaviour of the touts.
“These guys are now beating us because we cannot pay the protection fees of more than US$3 per trip. We do not even know the reason why they want payment and from whom they want to protect us from.
“Our members have been working very hard to start businesses of their own and we are being bullied everyday in full view of the police.
“Our rank is close to the police sta­tion and we have tried to report to the police who are taking ages to react. Why can’t they tell us who to approach for help and arrest these guys.”
Another CROOA member Mr Alfios Manjanja said the situation was getting worse everyday.
“Things are now out of control and these guys continue to force us to pay money which they say is going to be used by Zanu-PF in the forthcoming elections.
“They always boast to us that orders are coming from high offices in the gov­ernment and they are at ranks to enforce orders from above.
“We are afraid of taking the law into our hands and fight them. They come wearing badges, crème and green berets inscribed Zanu-PF. We comply with their demands because of fear.
“These guys force us to give each one of them US$30 in the morning which they say will go towards their lunch and the other to the party. They are living luxurious lives from doing nothing and leave us without anything,” he said.
Chief Insp Sabau said the police would get views from stakeholders and come with a solution.
“We met representatives from opera­tors who gave us their queries and now we want the other version from the bouncers. They were partners before and it is only now they are having prob­lems.
“We could not make all of them meet because it was not going to yield any results. Once we collate views from all par­ties involved we bring them together and have a lasting solution.
“A confrontational approach would not help the situation and we have been arresting touts every now and again. We need to give the process a chance and an engagement with all of them is neces­sary,” said Chief Insp Sabau.
He said police would not tolerate vio­lence at city ranks.
“Operators are divided and the prob­lem arises because they are not speak­ing with one voice.
“The prerogative of prosecution lies in the complainant and we act if there is a complainant.”
On Monday, Cde Badze was assaulted after he questioned the basis on which the touts had increased fees they collect from kombi crews.
The bouncers also banned other buses from using the rank for leaking information to the media.