to contravening Section 193 (b) of the Urban Councils Act: Chapter 29:15 as read with the Urban Council (Commuter Transport Services (Fares) Amendment) regulations No 1 of 2007 before Magistrate Ntombizondwa Mazhandu.
The commuter omnibus drivers were yesterday shocked when they realized that they had to fork out fines ranging between $9 million and $18 million on conviction or face a jail term of two months for refusing to slash their fares from $50 000 to $20 000.
More than 80 commuter omnibus crews who spent the weekend behind bars for allegedly refusing to slash their fares were fined a maximum of $1 million for each person they were found carrying at the time of their arrest on Friday. Most commuter omnibuses have a carrying capacity of 18 passengers.
A government unit drawn from all security agencies which include the police, army and intelligence operatives has descended on the transport operators in Bulawayo forcing them to slash their fares to $15 000 from $50 000.
But transport operators have reacted to the order to slash their fares by parking their commuter omnibuses saying they could not reduce their fares in the face of expensive spare parts and a volatile operating environment.
The government has ordered sweeping price cuts of around 50 percent to curb inflation, profiteering and overcharging by businesses.
Shops have already been ordered to reduce their prices as President Robert Mugabe seeks to beat hyper-inflation.
Price inspectors and police have raided stories, warehouses and gas stations to enforce the order. CAJ News.
Post published in: News