Commuter omnibus operators in Bulawayo have raised their fares, with prices ranging from $600 to $1,000 per trip, depending on the time and distance, prompting some commuters to call for the government to re-ban the kombis. This is up from the previous fare of $500.
Fares are highest during peak hours and when Zupco buses are not available. Commuters feel the operators have not learned their lesson. One angry commuter told the <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/ban-kombis-again-irate-commuters/">Chronicle</a>:
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During the Covid-19 era the Government banned kombis because of among other things, wantonly increasing fares.  Operators should use the official bank-rate. Why are they suddenly increasing fares when they know most of us earn RTGS and fuel prices have remained steady for the past months?
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Mr Ephraim Dube, a resident of Pumula South, expressed outrage at the increased kombi fares, as they now consume most of his salary. He noted that some suburbs still charge normal prices, which is frustrating. He is worried about the upcoming school opening week, as he and his children all study in town and the increased fares will be difficult to afford. He mentioned that one of his children takes two kombi trips per day, making it even more challenging. If he lived closer to town, like in Mpopoma, he would walk and not have to deal with the high fares.
Mrs Elsie Moyo, a commuter from Magwegwe West, accused kombi operators of contributing to inflation. She stated that when they increase their fares, moneychangers also raise their rates. She believes that kombi operators should be monitored and punished for raising their rates in bond currency. Mrs Moyo feels that the operators do this intentionally to force people to pay in foreign currency, as they raise their rates and leave commuters with no other option.
Kombi associations Tshova Mubaiwa and Bupta stated that their local currency charges are based on the prevailing exchange rates. Mr Ndabazabo Mabunda, the marketing director of Tshova Mubaiwa, explained that the fares have not increased, but the rate has changed due to the influence of commuters.
Mabunda claimed that commuters often refuse to accept local currency change, claiming it is too little, so the kombi operators end up charging more to balance their money. He emphasised that the high local rate charges are mainly due to the behaviour of the commuters, as the fares themselves have not been increased. The Bupta administration director, Mr Alfred Ncube, said the association had not increased fares but operators were working with the existing rate of exchange.
The Zimbabwe dollar has been shedding value against other currencies prompting service providers to raise charges and fees. However, there are some service providers who are raising prices in both local and foreign currencies. Kombi operators often raise their fares during holidays such as Easter and Independence due to high demand.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Pindula News

Commuters Urge Government To Re-ban Kombis As Fares Go Up

Private commuter omnibus operators across the country have welcomed a government decision to allow them back on the road following their ban during the height of COVID-19 in 2020.
The ban was decreed by Zimbabwean authorities allegedly to curb the spread of the virus.
According to <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/government-lifts-ban-on-kombis/">Statutory Instrument 213A of 2022</a> promulgated on 21 December 2022, the ban on kombis was been lifted with immediate effect. 
In response to the development, Greater Harare Association of Commuter Omnibuses (GHACO) chairman, Ngoni Katsvairo urged the government to recognise associations as important players in instilling order in the transport sector. Katsvairo told <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/operators-welcome-kombi-ban-lifting-by-government/">ZimLive</a> in an interview on Thursday:
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We’re very grateful to the government for the official lifting of the ban although we had already gotten a reprieve from His Excellency’s 7 May public statement on opening up public transport.
We hope that going forward, associations will be empowered to put more order in the sector.
The ban had opened up avenues for Mishika shika and we now look forward to working together with the government to enforce and ensure the illegal operators are stopped from taking business from those who comply with government laws.
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Tshova Mubaiwa Transport Cooperation marketing director Ndabazazo Mabunda said private commuter omnibus operations were highly affected by the ban.
They were forced to operate under the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) franchise, a move which they said was not ideal. ZimLive cites Mabuda as saying:
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We really appreciate the government’s move to lift the ban. We have been going through a tough time but there was no one we could blame because we appreciate that Covid-19 affected a lot of people.
Now that all is normalising, we are starting our operations from ground zero and we want to work tirelessly to make up for the lost time.
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Most <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/04/04/over-140k-kombi-workers-lose-jobs-in-harare-ghaco/">kombi drivers and conductors lost their jobs</a> when the government decreed the ban.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Operators Speak On Kombi Ban Lifting

Bulawayo commuter omnibus operators have a fares meeting today. Bulawayo Public Transport Association (BUPTA) spokesperson Mr. Keeper Ndlovu said the operating environment had become harsh and unsustainable hence the decision by the operators to meet and deliberate.
Speaking in a telephone interview with the Chronicle, Ndlovu said:
<blockquote>As operators, we understand that commuters, our clients have no money and can therefore not afford high fares. Our core business is to ferry people to various destinations across the city at affordable fares.</blockquote>
The meeting coincides with the dispatching of ZUPCO buses to the city of Queens and Kings.
Ndlovu also said that the introduction of ZUPCO buses shall give public commuters lots of options. He said:
<blockquote>Zupco was there way before us as kombi operators and we hope we will complement each other as our objective of serving the commuting public is the same. We want the commuters to be offered multiple options.</blockquote>
Tshova Mubaiwa Transport Cooperation chairperson Mr. Atlas Moyo said his association had not yet come up with new fares. Moyo said:
<blockquote>We have not yet come up with new fares as we are still deliberating and assessing the situation. We will be able to give a more concrete response after analysing the impact of the new fuel prices.</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/new-zupco-buses-come-to-bulawayo/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Chronicle</a>

Bulawayo Commuter Omnibus Operators Set Meeting To Discuss Fares

Bulawayo Commuter Omnibus operators have unanimously agreed to suspend their operations with effect from 22 May 2019. They all argue that the business is no longer sustainable with the reintroduction of the ZUPCO buses. Read the full text below:
<img decoding="async" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7HfJf8W4AQA47L.jpg:large"/>
More: <a href="https://twitter.com/daddyhope/status/1130930351369576448" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hopewell Chin’ono</a>

FULL TEXT: Bulawayo Commuter Omnibus Operators Suspend Services

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.
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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.
More: <a href="http://www.chronicle.co.zw/nust-students-kidnapped-held-hostage-over-taxi-fare/">Chronicle</a>

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

In an interview with The Chronicle yesterday, Bulawayo United Public Transporters’ Association (Bupta) administration director, Mr Albert Ncube said they have reduced kombi fares from 50 cents to 30 cents for students at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust).
He also said that they want to extend the same service to other students. Said Ncube:
<blockquote>This is not something that will happen at Nust only, but we are taking it to Hillside Teachers’ College and United College of Education. I’m going there to talk to them and map the way forward. We will also reduce fares for school children in areas that we operate in. We will pick up groups from terminuses so institutions can approach us and we will organise something. However, this does not apply to individuals. We will not run a loss from this because most of the distances we cover are under six kilometres. This is very sustainable and will not change unless there are drastic changes in fuel prices.</blockquote>
More: <a href="http://www.chronicle.co.zw/bupta-slashes-fares-for-nust-students/">Chronicle</a>

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