Commuter omnibus operators told the Zimbabwean that the youths are demanding $3 every day for each vehicle which operates along Main Street and Third Avenue and Lobengula street pick up points in the city.
“Zanu (PF) youths in party regalia on Easter Friday visited our rank and addressed us .They demanded that we pay a daily fee of $3 to the youths which they claimed will be used for independence celebrations.
At our rank we have more than 20 operators and this means that they are collecting $60 everyday. Surely this is unfair,” said a commuter omnibus operator who refused to be named for fear of victimisation.
Another operator along Lobengula street said the operators were forced to ask the assistance of the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee(JOMIC) to address the issue which which has created chaos at the the city’s ranks.
“On Monday we called the co-chairperson of JOMIC, Tabitha Khumalo to come and see what these youths are doing .They are robbing us our money,” said the operator who also refused to be named.
Khumalo yesterday confirmed to the Zimbabwean that the operators had approached her for assistance.
“I went at main street pick point to investigate the operators allegations after they had phoned me. I saw the youths and this issue should be stopped and I am going to take it up with my colleagues,” she said
Three Zanu (PF) youths in the city were last week jailed for an effective three years after they were found guilty of extortion and kidnapping commuter omnibus touts at a long distance pick up point in the city.
Post published in: News