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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter

BULAWAYO Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube yesterday came face-to-face with the chaotic scenes caused by rowdy kombi crews operating along 6th Avenue.

Incensed by the disorder in the downtown crowded streets, Minister Ncube quickly disembarked from her official vehicle and directed her anger to the kombi crews who had blocked her way.

The minister was on her way to Lobengula Street where Bulawayo City Council (BCC) was carrying out a clean-up exercise dubbed the “Big Spring-Cleaning Week”, which runs until the end of week.

The council has identified 35 sites which have been declared an eyesore to the city due to dirt.

Minister Ncube had a torrid moment as her driver frantically tried to negotiate his way along the congested street.

In some instances, kombi crews ignored the traffic light-controlled intersection resulting in other motorists failing to navigate through.

The area between Fort Street and Herbert Chitepo Street along 6th Avenue has become untrafficable due to the congestion caused by kombi crews.

The minister chided the kombi crews and ordered them to operate within the confines of the law. “We requested that you return on the road realising the challenges that you were experiencing, but you are now blocking the smooth flow of traffic. Can you do us a favour by moving out of our way so that we can pass,” said Minister Ncube.

At the height of the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, the Government banned private kombi operators and decreed that all public transporters in urban centres should be registered under the Zupco ambit to bring sanity to the transport sector.

Only Zupco registered buses and kombis were allowed to transport commuters in terms of Covid-19 prevention regulations.

However, in July President Mnangagwa gave private commuter operators the greenlight to operate following Zupco’s failure to cope with demand.

Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo recently announced that the Government is in the process of introducing legal statutes to direct the operations of private commuter operators.

Under the new law to guide the transport sector, all kombi crews will operate under an association.

Meanwhile, speaking during the clean-up campaign, Minister Ncube said the redevelopment of Egodini Mall is expected to address the issue of congestion in the city.

The closure of Egodini for renovations has been blamed for the congestion which is being experienced in the city so far.

Minister Ncube urged members of the public to be patient with Terracotta Trading (Private) Limited, a company contracted to develop Egodini Mall.

“We have to salute the Terracotta guys for their dedication as you might have observed that there are some economic challenges, especially for those in the construction sector and other businesses. Terracotta is doing a lot, there is a lot of development that is taking place at Egodini development site,” she said.

Minister Ncube said upon completion, Egodini Mall will reduce the number of vendors and kombi operating from the streets.

“This means the streets will be less congested. However, this does not mean that even after the redevelopment of Egodini, dirt will end, we are still speaking against it,” she said.

Terracotta, won the tender to upgrade Basch Street Terminus into a regional public transport hub in 2012 ahead of two other companies.

The project was said to cost US$60 million and in March 2018 vendors and public transport operators were relocated to make way for the first phase of the project which was expected to be completed by November 2019.

Later, March 2020 was set as the new target before BCC set August of that year as the new deadline to complete the first phase of the project. – @nqotshili.