The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) will descend on buses that rank at illegal pick up points, as they are defying the city’s by-laws, causing chaos and confusing passengers.
This development comes after a turf war erupted between long distance bus operators – Dayise Express and Stallion Cruise, who are plying the Bulawayo to Victoria Falls route at First Avenue and Lobengula Street.
The area is an illegal pick-up point as it was not sanctioned by authorities but the conflict between the buses was so bad that it almost generated a bloody situation.
BCC Corporate Communications Manager, Nesisa Mpofu, said the city had assigned specific termini for long distance bus operators that serve various destinations.
“First Avenue and Lobengula Street is an illegal rank and the law enforcement officers will attend to it,” she said in an interview with CITE.
“Buses plying the Victoria Falls Route should use the Entumbane Long Distance Bus Terminus. Buses plying the Harare, Gwanda and Nyathi routes should use Erenkini Long Distance Bus Terminus (Makokoba). Those plying the Kezi, Plumtree and Tsholotsho Routes should use the Nkulumane Long Distance Bus Terminus.”
Mpofu added that buses operating long distances are licensed by the Government through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, while in terms of the Urban Councils Act, BCC provides termini and ranks for the picking and dropping of passengers.
She added that the local authority expected bus operators to abide by these set rules, more so during the Covid-19 pandemic era where order was required to prevent spread.
“Covid-19 containment measures require bus operators to operate from properly designated facilities where passengers are controlled, sanitised and loaded in such a manner that they do not compromise their health and safety. Members of the public are encouraged to board buses from designated bus terminus,” said the BCC Corporate Communications Manager.
