Pilfering has become so pervasive that the company has
since roped in the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) instead of relying on
internal investigators. It is believed that a corrupt network of drivers,
conductors, cashiers and the loss control team has been systematically
siphoning funds from the company’s coffers.
At least 450 employees have been fired for financial
impropriety over the last four months. More workers are in the line of fire as
investigations continue.
“My friend and fellow driver was fired after being found
guilty of overcharging commuters. He was assisting passengers with his tap card
for a fee since most Zupco buses no longer accept cash payments,” said a driver
identified as Mr Mhere, who plies the Chitungwiza route.
“It was not his fault though. Most commuters do not have
tap cards and force us to use personal cards for their convenience. We cannot
do that for free as our jobs will be on the line. It is not allowed.”
Most Zupco buses have migrated from cash payments to the
convenient tap-and-go card system that is ostensibly foolproof and designed to
eliminate theft.
But some of the parastatal’s employees discovered a
loophole in the system, which they are still using to line their pockets.
“I rarely use Zupco buses, hence don’t see the need to have
a tap card. But each time I make use of public transport, I pay the conductors
in cash,” said Mr Edmund Mudzamiri.
In some instances, the bus crew charges a commission when
they “assist” commuters with their tap cards.
For instance, commuters pay $50 cash for a 20-kilometre
trip that ordinarily is pegged at $30 by the transport utility or $100 for a
trip legally pegged at $60 when using a commuter omnibus. In this case, it is
both the commuters and Zupco that are prejudiced.
There are also instances where the tap-card machine is
tampered with, which allows the bus crew to declare any figure they wish at the
depot. Money that would have been paid in cash is converted to personal use.
“We have been receiving reports of conductors and other
criminals taking advantage of those who do not have tap-and-go cards,
collecting and pocketing cash from them and then use their own cards to tap for
huge amounts,” said Zupco chief executive officer Mr Evaristo Madangwa.
“zupco is now working with the ZRP, through the Criminal
Investigations Department (CID), to unearth the rot within the organisation.”
Touts that have resurfaced at most ranks after the
relaxation of the lockdown are further making it increasingly difficult to
maintain discipline.
“Through our investigations, we have also noted the other
culprits are touts working in cahoots with some Zupco employees. However, we
have devised a way to deal with them,” added Mr Madangwa. “Some of the
passengers are to blame. They beg conductors to tap for them in exchange for
cash, hence we cannot be entirely responsible. If commuters and other relevant
stakeholders join hands, we will not have these challenges.”
Investigations by The Sunday Mail Society indicate that the
parastatal has lost millions of dollars to fraudulent schemes in the past year.Most
of the cases are being reported in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare.
“There was an internal audit late last year that revealed
the company could have been prejudiced of more than $2,5 million due to
different forms of fraud mainly involving bus crews. While the focus is on the
tap-card scam, fuel is also being stolen by these bus crews,” revealed a source
who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The haemorrhage is threatening the Government’s commitment
to revamp the mass public transport operator.
“What these people are doing is criminal and punishable.
The proactive stance we have taken is yielding positive results. Already,
several conductors have been fired while some identified culprits are also set
to lose their jobs,” warned Mr Madangwa.
The tap-and-go card system has had to be continuously
adapted to improve its security. In Bulawayo and other towns, Zupco has had to
reintroduce the old ticketing system. Harare Institute of Technology (HIT)
director of technology, licensing and commercialisation centre Dr Talon
Garikayi, who oversaw the development of the system, admitted there was a
crisis.
“There is a new system that we developed after some
problems with the existing one. We are continuously upgrading it until it
becomes foolproof. The new invention is a panacea to the current crisis,” he
said.
“ . . . unfortunatelyZupco employees do not know that we
have been monitoring their activities, even with the old system. This is how
most of them have been caught and subsequently fired.”
The upgraded electronic ticketing system is currently being
rolled out. It was installed in all the 50 new Zupco buses that were recently
commissioned. The new system limits the tap-card use to one passenger every 15
minutes.
The tap-and-go card system installed in all new Zupco buses
has had to be continuously adapted to improve its security.
“From our investigations, it takes a bus between 10 to 12
minutes to load at the terminus. This means it will be difficult, if not
impossible, for the bus crew or touts to tap for several commuters due to the
15 minutes waiting period,” said Mr Garikayi.
However, the new system comes with challenges for those
traveling as a family.
“The official position is that tap cards are acquired for
free at any of the Zupco booths. They are never out of stock; therefore, there
is no reason for anyone to say they do not have one,” he added.
“As for tap-card top-up, we also upgraded to enable that to
be done via bank or mobile money transfer services as a way to embrace digital
currency.”
Zupco has lately been grappling to maintain its fleet as
some franchise operators pulled out due to backlogs in payments, including
allegedly setting “unrealistic” daily targets.
“Operators under the Zupco franchise are supposed to be
paid on a fortnight basis but they (Zupco) were defaulting. We could go up to a
month or two without payment. I had four of my vehicles under the franchise but
I pulled out. I have two outstanding payments with them a month or so after
withdrawing,” said one operator.
In response, Mr Madangwa said: “Some operators have left
but an exercise to replace them is underway, hence we did not feel the gap. “Also, we are working on clearing our arrears
with the operators in the shortest possible time.”
As of last week, Zupco had 724 buses and 758 commuter
omnibuses under its franchise countrywide. Sunday Mail
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