This is a commendable move, considering the notoriety the kombis have earned because of the high number of road accidents they have caused – many of them fatal. Also, the vehicles have become a menace on the streets, where they cause congestion and disturb the public through the rude behaviour of touts, conductors and drivers.
The idea is that kombis would be replaced with bigger buses that are easier to manage. This would bring relief to hard-pressed commuters because, so we are told, they would be more affordable.
However, there is need to proceed with caution and diligence. First, there is need for transparency regarding how these buses will be registered to operate the urban routes. So far, there is a company that is running a pilot metro project, with the buses limited to one part of Chitungwiza.
The problem is, we were never told how that company was chosen, leading to speculation that some big wigs in the transport ministry could have received kickbacks to authorise the firm, which is likely to bring in more buses.
It is important is to be clear about procedures and processes. We don’t want to end up with ministers and senior government officials running public transport monopolies in cahoots with their friends in the private sector at the expense of the commuting public.
Second, it is vital to locate the position of the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) in the matrix. Zupco, as a parastatal, used to provide an efficient service to the public until corruption and mismanagement took over. There is need to clean up the mess at the public transporter and ensure that it, once again, runs efficiently – before letting it loose on hard-pressed commuters again.
The transition from kombis to bigger buses is bound to be fraught with hazards and we urge the transport ministry to think carefully and consult widely before any decisions are taken. Government must avoid a situation whereby the very vehicles they would have phased out reappear as illegal transporters.
In addition, there is need to revamp our road networks and ensure that the new transporters are compliant with all traffic regulations. That would stem corruption among the police and personnel from the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) – which constitute a large part of the enormous problems that have resulted in the call for an end to kombi transport.
Post published in: Editor: Wilf Mbanga
Bigger buses are going to cost Bigger Fares and the Unemployed will be unable to afford a 50p fare into town for a job interview.
What’s’more,kombis are privately owned and so its up to the Owners to ensure their income is secure by having their vehicles on the road at all times, no matter who is supplying them or driving them on a monthly wage. With Government owned buses it will be the other way around with drivers having special stops and schedules to adhere to, slowing down Zimbabwe even more drastically. That is if the driver can communicate with the base to send another bus out. What we need is Government to support the Kombi owners more as a private individual serving the people. I often use Kombis at home and have been impressed with their service and their driving. Its the others on the road (many without licences) who are the problem. And the Council – we were parked in 4th Street taxi rank in the wrong place and a man in uniform slipped spikes under the front wheels of our Kombi and demanded $40 from our driver for this demeanor. Well pandemonium broke out when the passengers just told the driver to go, and we did, with punctured wheels and all, to a safe parking area elsewhere. There an empty kombi immediately pulled in behind us and all the pax scrambled into that second kombi – which was a free service by a brother who was determined to provide ensure the people who had paid for ride got home. I was never so impressed in my life as during that exciting adventure! My Question is: is a spot fine of $40 a normal Council Fine by an employee when a Kombi (with engine running) parked and waiting for a passenger to nip out and buy bananas for his child? For the record, in Athens, Greece, public taxis are just cars and these stop and drop and pickup much the same as our own taxis, and they carry as many as can fit in the car, and the fares are very reasonable, much the same as our Kombis. Its a great way to meet the man in the street when you are visiting a country and i felt very much at home there. I understand that in Malaysia town buses are also hop on hop off and totally free, so unless the Government is going to imitate the Malaysians in this, I dont think that they are going to be very popular especially when a bus bus breaks down (wotch this space after a couple of years), and pax have to wait for hours for a replacement. Transport in Africa is as much a necessity as the arteries in our bodies, servicing the country as a whole. Let’s think of ways of helping the Kombis, not eliminating such a vital service. When a bus is in an accident far more have been killed than some of the 12 adults and children.
Reading between the lines above
Reading between the lines above