The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) has completed the refurbishment of its bus terminus at its main campus in Mt Pleasant, Harare.
The bus terminus was designed by UZ students and built at a cost of about $180 million.
It has bathrooms, shops, sheds, seats, and will be running on solar, with power points that have charging ports.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/new-uz-completes-modern-bus-terminus">The Sunday Mail</a>, UZ Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo, said the refurbishment of the terminus is part of the ongoing process of modernising the institution to meet the demands of Education 5.0. He said:
<blockquote>
I always had a very strong feeling that when students come to UZ, their first port of call is the terminus.
It was not looking good, giving a bad first impression of the institution.
We have been having a problem with vendors who are close to the terminus currently in use.
We have put in infrastructure for the selling of food, and wares and this should allow our students to have convenience the moment they arrive at the institution.
</blockquote>
The student parking opposite the UZ Faculty of Law served as a makeshift bus terminus as the terminus was being upgraded.

Pindula News

UZ Upgrades Bus Terminus At A Cost Of $180 Million

A video of a woman being harassed by touts or hwindis at a bus terminus has gone viral on social media platforms.
The touts were seemingly fighting to get her to board their bus because they get paid on commission for the people they bring.
The video is not dated at the location could not be immediately ascertained.
Watch the video below:
<div class="wp-video" style="width: 234px;">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="426" id="video-200110-1" preload="metadata" width="234"><source src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Zimbabwean-woman-wails-after-touts-corner-her-at-bus-terminus.mp4?_=1" type="video/mp4"/><a href="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Zimbabwean-woman-wails-after-touts-corner-her-at-bus-terminus.mp4">https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Zimbabwean-woman-wails-after-touts-corner-her-at-bus-terminus.mp4</a></video></div>
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trusts (ZNOART) <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/03/24/znoart-condemns-harassment-of-female-passengers-by-touts-full-statement/">has condemned the abuse of female passengers</a> bus operators, hwindis and conductors.
In a statement, ZNOART demanded that police arrest the culprits immediately.

WATCH: Woman Wails At Bus Terminus As Touts Jostle For Her Luggage

<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_United_Passenger_Company">ZUPCO</a> and <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Harare_City_Council">Harare City council</a> are working towards erecting official ZUPCO ranks and shelters for commuters, The Herald reports.
This was confirmed by Zupco acting chief executive Mr Everisto Madangwa who spoke to the publication and said:
<blockquote>We are working with the Harare City Council and our parent ministry to establish designated ranks for our fleet. We want to ensure our passengers are picked up and dropped off at designated places.</blockquote>
The city of Harare also confirmed the news and said they are providing mandatory infrastructure in the deal.<a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/03/06/govt-paying-each-zupco-bus-700-rtgs-per-day/"> The ZUPCO Buses subsidy was introduced in February 2019 to help urban commuters and ease off their transport cost</a> burden.
More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/new-ranks-shelters-for-zupco-buses/">The Herald</a>

Designated Official ZUPCO Ranks On The Cards

Some commuter omnibus and bus operators on Thursday refused to park their buses in bus termini in protest of the sudden hiking of parking fees by the Harare City Council.
Some bus opeators told NewZimbabwe.com that the city authorities increased bus and commuter omnibus fees, from $25 and $15 to $100 and $50, respectively.
One transport operator who sopke to the publication said:
<blockquote>We were not given any notice by City Council that they are going to increase entrance fees for buses and commuter omnibus.
We were surprised because we saw the notice pasted at the bus terminus offices this (Thursday) morning.
Many buses are loading outside the bus terminus because they had $25 bond, the fee they used to pay before this sudden change.
The way they increased their fees is not proper looking at the percentage.
It is very huge; they should have at least increased the fees to $40 or $50 bond, maybe it could be reasonable.</blockquote>
As a result of the sudden hike, few buses were reported to be loading passengers within termini.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/kombi-operators-boycott-ranks-after-fee-hike-by-council/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

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