NUST students kidnapped, held hostage for refusing to pay a 50 cents

On Friday, 18 National University of Science and Technology (Nust) students were allegedly kidnapped by a kombi crew and held hostage at a house in Bulawayo’s Paddonhurst suburb for more than one hour for refusing to pay 50 cents bus fare. This follows an announcement by Bulawayo Public Transporters Association (Bupta) that students would be charged 30 cents.

The conductor of the Bupta affiliated kombi is alleged to have demanded 50 cents around 8PM but the students refused to pay the extra 20 cents. The driver is alleged to have stopped at Mac’s Garage along Gwanda Road where he locked the kombi and threatened to beat the students. When the students did not give in to the threats, the driver allegedly sped off, threatening to dump the students at a bush far away from the city centre. A student who spoke to The Chronicle on condition of anonymity said the registration number of the kombi is ACZ 8741.

The students were driven back to the CBD by the kombi owner, identified only as Mr Gondwe after some of them threatened to call the police. Bupta Chairperson Mr Albert Ncube said the matter would be investigated today and that the driver risks being fired.