arresting many operators and impounding their vehicles allegedly for failing to heed its calls to reduce fares.
The Zanu (PF) regime has ordered fares to be slashed by between 100% and 200% and claimed that it is proving subsidized fuel to commuter operators.
However, the fuel is nowhere to be found leaving the commuter operators to continue sourcing the commodity from the thriving black market.
Government last week ruled that fuel prices must be pegged at $55 000 per litre and $60 000 per litre for diesel and petrol respectively whilst on the black market both are selling for about $300 000 per litre and above.
“We walked in the morning because there was not transport and we are having to walk again because of the same situation,” Crispen Chiutsi told CAJ News on Friday evening whilst taking off from the city centre on foot after work.
Chiutsi stays in Glen View high density suburb, about 18 kilometres from the city centre where he works in a bank.
Transport and Communications minister Chris Mushowe said the subsidized fuel is being made available.
“We hope to see the situation improving because the fuel from government is expected to flood the market soon,” he said.
Commuter operators have remained defiant and showed determination to stand their ground in the face of heavy handedness and intimidation by government.
“They can arrest, we will simply stop operating because we are saying the only way we can reduce prices to levels stipulated by government is when we get the promised fuel,” an operator said.
“There is no way we are going to charge the reduced fares when we are buying fuel from the black market.”
The same situation has affected long distance travelers as bus operators are either parking their vehicles or continuously charging fares higher than government dictated ones because of the same reason of getting fuel from the black market- CAJ News.
Post published in: News