Demand for Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses
has spiked and the public transport operator is set to take delivery of
300 more coaches in a major leap for the
country’s mass transport system.
Commuter operators are charging exorbitant prices ranging
from $2 to $5 which is beyond the reach of many, forcing Government to
intervene through introducing a mass transport system to cushion the public.
Zupco is charging 50 cents in Harare and 75 cents from
Harare to Chitungwiza, with about 15 buses that have been allocated to the province
struggling to cope with demand.
Zupco acting chief executive Mr Everisto Madangwa said they
were currently overwhelmed.
“Currently, Zupco is operating 260 buses countrywide
including those from the private players. We are putting frantic efforts to
manage the situation. Definitely we will be able to meet demand.
“Currently, I am on the ground monitoring the situation.
Passengers are preferring our buses due to our competitive prices,” said Mr
Madangwa.
“I’m not looking at the actual figures at the moment, but
roughly four or five buses have been allocated to Bulawayo, two to Gweru, one
bus to Kwekwe and another to Masvingo. Due to the fact that Harare is a big
city, about 14 or 15 buses have been allocated to service its routes.”
He said the bus company was still working to ensure that
all urban routes had buses, as some suburbs are still to benefit from the
service.
“We understand that some suburbs still do not have Zupco
buses servicing their routes, however, we urge members of the public to remain
patient as we are dealing with logistics and increasing our capacity,” said Mr
Madangwa.
Mr Mandangwa said they would continue improving on their
e-ticketing system which has so far proved to be convenient to passengers and
plans were underway to open e-ticketing kiosks for the convenience of the
public.
In a separate event, Acting Minister of Local Government,
Public Works and National Housing Prof Amon Murwira said the 50 percent
reduction in fares by Zupco will see the transport utility making profit on the
back of an efficient utilisation of the electronic ticketing system, Parliament
heard yesterday.
Prof Murwira said this while responding to questions from
legislators during the Question and Answer session.
“We have developed a tap and go system, an electronic
ticketing system. The 50 cents can make the company realise huge profits. Most
of the high prices that we normally see are as a result of inefficiencies,
Zupco is able to make profit even if it charges thirty cents per trip,” said
Prof Murwira.
Responding to another question, Primary and Secondary Education
Minister Prof Paul Mavima said the country’s education standards had surged
from around 22 percent to 33 percent.
Bulilima legislator Cde Dingimuzi Phuti (Zanu-PF) had asked
what Government was doing to raise teacher-pupil ratio with regards to textbooks
saying that it had led to reduction of educational standards.
“I do not agree with the assertion that our education
standards have declined. Our pass rate was actually rising.
“We have moved from theory to practice. We are receiving a
lot of feedback at our schools and our education has been transformed into a
psychomotor.
“Our standards have risen, we were once at 22, but we are
now at 33 percent,” said Prof Mavima.
He said it was true that schools continued to be dogged
with challenges regarding resources and the Government was working tirelessly
to address it.
Prof Mavima said schools that had been affected by Cyclone
Idai had since received resources. Herald
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