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Cynthia Dube, Chronicle Reporter
PUBLIC transporters have blasted the Bulawayo City Council for allegedly favouring the Bulawayo’s Public Transporters Association (Bupta) in allocating routes under the city’s newly formulated public transport policy.

The dispute is threatening the May 24 launch of the policy that also seeks to eliminate individual ownership of kombis in the city.  Under the policy, stakeholders have proposed to charge school children and college students half fare.

Transporters will have to join one of three associations – Bupta, Tshova Mubaiwa Co-operative (TMC) or Bulawayo City Transit Trust (BCTT).  Each of the operators was allocated specific routes to avoid speeding and fighting for customers.

At a pre-launch of the policy held at the Small City Hall on Thursday, Acting Deputy Director of Engineering Services Mr Wisdom Siziba said BCTT kombis will operate between Nkulumane 10 and Pumula South linkages starting from this month-end while Bupta kombis will operate from Matopos Road in an anti clock-wise direction to Hyde Park Road.

Mr Siziba said Tshova Mubaiwa kombis will operate in Matopos Road in a clockwise direction to Nkulumane 10/ Mqamulazwe road linkages.

However, chairperson of Tshova Mubaiwa Mr Samson Mabunde complained that their company was given a small area to operate where there are fewer customers compared to Bupta which was given more routes.

“This is not fair.  We are given a small place to operate compared to other companies. The worse part of it is that there are no customers in Matopos Road.

Our kombis will be only allowed to carry people in Mganwini, Nkulumane 5, Tshabalala and Nketa 9 suburb,” said Mr Mabunde.

“Tshova Mubaiwa has got a lot of kombis and we are growing everyday.  As   l`m talking now there are individuals queuing outside our offices in order to join us. With this small area we are given, that means other kombis will spend a day without getting a chance to carry passengers. I am not happy with this policy and the city council must do something about it.”

Mr Mabunde told The Chronicle that they will not charge half fares for pupils because it will cost them.

“There are students who are 50 years old and then they expect us to charge them half fare. Police are always on the road asking for money.  This will cost us,” he said.

BCTT director of operations Mr Mlisa Sibanda said they will negotiate with the council so that they can give them more routes.

He said their kombis will be carrying people only in Nkulumane 12 and Pumula South suburb.

Mr Sibanda said their company is planning to transport school pupils for 50 cents per head from their respective place to school or vice versa.

Bupta director of legal affairs Mr Morgan Msipha told The Chronicle that he was very happy with the routes that they were given.

“Our company is not complaining about the transport policy because we will be carrying customers in suburbs including Burnside, Waterford, Richmond, Mahatshula, Queens Park, Sauerstown, Trenance, Barbourfields, Cowdray Park, Magwegwe, Old Pumula, Gwabalanda up to Hyde Park road,” he said.

“We are working on the issue of uniforms for our employees and we are hoping that by this month-end we will be wearing uniforms. We are also looking forward to engaging Nust on the bus fare issue. We will talk with students’ representatives so that we agree how much they want us to charge them from Nust to the Large City Hall.”

BCC senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said Bupta and Tshova Mubaiwa met and allocated each other the areas where they wished to operate but they have a meeting scheduled for May 16 concerning the transport policy.

“After the approval of the public transport policy by the city council, Tshova Mubaiwa and Bupta met and allocated each other the areas where they wished to operate. They supplied this information to the council. The discussion about the routes was between the two operators and did not involve the council,” she said.

— @cynthiamthembo1