Online Reporter
Talent Gore
HARARE Mayor Jacob Mafume says congestion in the Central Business District was an indication of the failure on the part of mass public transporters.
Speaking to Transporters’ associations during a meeting on the proposed 2025 budget at Town House, Mayor Mafume promised to restore sanity and order in the ranks.
He said the City will harden its stance towards illegal transport operators.
Mafume said there was a need to come up with a mechanism to find ways to improve the ranks within the city.
“The issue of the transport sector in Harare is a big issue/concern for us, we want to regulate and improve the ambiance of the ranks to the satisfaction of our customers which are the residents of Harare,” he said.
“We need to improve the hygiene of those places and the handling of our own passengers because at the end of the day and business people, we need to operate in an environment where we are happy to operate and make a profit.
“So what we are asking is an orderly environment like what we see in Bulawayo and in other parts of Africa.”
Mayor Mafume said there was a need to make sure that there was order within the ranks and operate in a certain framework.
“The issue of congestion is an indication of our failure as mass public transporters because everyone feels obliged to get a car,” he said.
“It should be easy for anyone to feel safe that their loved ones can get into a kombi and not be molested, it should be a matter of choice for one to get a car.
“So, that is where we need to go with our mass transport and it begins by doing the little things, if we are organised enough we can then get buses from the relevant authorities to boost our transport system.
“But all of this will be possible if, as transport operators, we are organised enough and everyone has confidence in what we are doing.”
Mafume added:
“We need to deal with touts who demand extra fees from transport operators who are regulated, we have a methodology that we will take to deal with these touts.”
daniel chigunwe
