Members of the public who witnessed the melee, which
started shortly after 10AM, said it lasted for about 20 minutes.
According to witnesses, the commotion was caused by kombi
drivers following the interception of a kombi which was involved in an accident
while fleeing from the police. The kombi was pirating in the city centre in
violation of lockdown measures banning kombis from operating outside the
Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) sphere.
Government last year restructured the country’s urban
transport sector and directed that all public transporters should fall under
the ambit of Zupco.
However, some kombi operators have not joined the Zupco
scheme, opting to operate illegally. Mr Petros Ncube, a security guard at a
local shop situated at Herbert Chitepo and 5th Avenue said he helped calm the
angry mob baying for the police officers’ blood.
“The police vehicle, a Ford Focus, arrived from 6th Avenue
pursuing kombis. Upon arrival at 5th Avenue, one of the kombi drivers who had
parked near our shop got into his vehicle and tried to flee at high speed as
police pursued him,” he said.
Mr Ncube said the kombi driver was reversing at high speed
as he fled from the police resulting in the vehicle ramming into a stationary
kombi.
“The driver of the fleeing kombi concentrated on the police
vehicle in front of him without checking his side mirrors and he rammed into a
stationary kombi, which was parked in front of our shop resulting in it hitting
a pole,” he said.
Mr Ncube said in no time members of the public had swarmed
the scene and there was commotion
“Kombi crews and other people started shouting obscenities
at police officers. They picked stones and smashed the rear windscreen. One of
the hooligans, took a car battery which was in the boot of the police car and
fled towards 5th Avenue before melting into the crowded streets,” he said.
“I managed to gather enough courage and persuaded the angry
mob to stop attacking the police and they dispersed and police remained in the
car. I then approached the two of the police officers and offered to be a State
witness in the event the suspects are brought to court.”
Mr Ncube said minutes later another team of police officers
arrived in a Honda Fit and took away the driver of the kombi, which caused the
accident. One of police officers who was part of the patrol crew drove away in
the Ford Focus and two remained guarding the kombi.
A vendor who declined to be named said she watched from a
distance as the drama unfolded.
“I was selling my wares at Herbert Chitepo Street and 5th
Avenue when I saw people attacking the police car. I didn’t go near scene because
I didn’t want to end up being implicated,” she said.
Mr Morgan Ndlovu, an airtime vendor said: “The situation
was tense and police officers were lucky because they were not injured, but the
kombi drivers were determined to damage the police vehicle and some were even
shouting saying, ‘let’s burn the car’.”
Mr Ndlovu said police were not violent when the mob
attacked them. Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube
confirmed the incident. He said rogue kombi crews attacked traffic police
officers while in the course of their duties.
“Police officers were conducting routine patrol at 6th
Avenue extension where pirate kombis operate from. When kombi crews spotted our
officers, they sped off resulting in one of the drivers hitting another
vehicle,” he said.
“The driver of the kombi, which was hit, pursued the driver
of the offending kombi as he drove along Herbert Chitepo Street, towards 1st
Avenue. Police also chased after the same kombi and upon reaching 5th Avenue
intersection, the kombi driver caused another accident leading to his arrest.”
Insp Ncube said rogue kombi drivers and touts immediately
attacked police officers as they demanded the release of their colleague.
“That is when an unknown object was used to attack the
police vehicle, smashing its window screen. This is a regrettable incident
which is unexpected of Bulawayo residents,” he said.
Insp Ncube warned members of the public against engaging in
lawlessness.
“This is not just an attack on police officers, but on the
entire Zimbabwe Republic Police and Government. It’s a behaviour that will not
be tolerated and it would be in the best interest of those involved to hand
over themselves to the police before the long arm of the law catches up with
them,” he said. Chronicle
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