Illegal passenger pick-up points and worsening transport shortages in parts of Bulawayo have raised fresh concerns among councillors, who say weak enforcement and poor service delivery are leaving some residents stranded and putting lives at risk.
The concerns were raised during a recent meeting of Bulawayo City Council’s Town Lands and Planning Committee, where councillors called for urgent intervention to restore order in the city’s public transport system.
Ward 20 councillor Lazarus Mphadwe said illegal pick-up and drop-off points were operating openly, sometimes in full view of enforcement officers.
“There are a lot of illegal pick-up and drop-off points for passengers. Most of these illegal activities happen in front of enforcement officers,” he said.
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Mphadwe urged the committee to conduct site visits outside normal working hours to assess the extent of the problem.
The issue emerged during discussions on the monthly update on the implementation of the City of Bulawayo Public Transport Policy, with councillors highlighting persistent gaps in enforcement and service provision.
Ward 17 councillor Sikhululekile Moyo said some suburbs remained underserved, forcing residents to rely on limited transport options.
She said areas such as Hyde Park, Maziwi/St Peters Village and Pumula South were largely dependent on Tshova Mubaiwa (Pvt) Ltd, which she said had shown little interest in extending services to peri-urban settlements.
“The company has no interest in providing public transport to the peri-urban settlements in Ward 17,” she said.
Ward 11 councillor Suzan Sithole warned that the conduct of some commuter transport crews during enforcement operations had become increasingly dangerous.
She said aggressive behaviour by crews could result in injuries or fatalities if left unchecked.
“The behaviour of public transport crews is a cause for concern during enforcement operations. Such kind of behaviour could lead to injuries or loss of lives,” said Sithole.
Ward 13 councillor Lovewell Mwinde said the situation had deteriorated to the point where additional law enforcement support might be needed.
He suggested involving the Zimbabwe Republic Police Support Unit or the Zimbabwe National Army to help enforce transport by-laws, arguing that previous crackdowns had failed.
“The situation is now out of hand. Previous enforcement operations have yielded no results,” he said.
Ward 2 councillor Adrian Moyo said transport operators should formally document the challenges affecting service delivery so authorities could address them more effectively.
Responding to the concerns, Assistant Director of Town Planning Sehlile Ndlovu said transport operators had each been allocated designated service areas and that compliance with service level agreements was being monitored.
She said the city would investigate complaints relating to poor transport coverage in Ward 17’s peri-urban communities.
“Monitoring is done on the service level agreements. The issue pertaining to public transport in Ward 17 peri-urban areas will be looked into,” said Ndlovu.
Bulawayo has long struggled with transport shortages, particularly in outer suburbs and peri-urban settlements, where limited routes and inadequate services often force residents to rely on informal transport operators.
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