ILLEGAL transport operators are reportedly working in cahoots with police to ferry commuters from various undesignated pick-up points in Harare.
Police recently declared war on unregistered transport operators, including the notorious Mushikashika and Toyota Wish cars littered on the city’s busy roads.
While the expectation was that police would patrol these roads and weed out these illegal operators, events on the ground show a different operation whereby the cops seemingly act in cahoots with the pirates.
This has, in turn, resulted in congestion on busy roads as the illegal operators – who at times include haulage trucks – use undesignated pick up points and block up to two lanes while looking for passengers.
Worryingly, this is happening in the presence of police details who will be milling around or stationed a stone throw away.
Yesterday H-Metro observed this along Sam Nujoma road where these illegal operators look for commuters on the Harare-Bindura highway.
The rogue operations mainly take place between Herbert Chitepo and Baines avenues.
It emerged that touts manning the undesignated pick up points have ‘hiked’ the fares to places like Bindura, Chiweshe, Glendale and Mazowe in order to raise money that they then give to police details supposedly patrolling the ugly zone. – H-Metro
