21 buses, 45 kombis impounded in police blitz

Chronicle Reporter
Police in Bulawayo have impounded 21 buses, 45 kombis and 15 private cars in two days as the blitz on vehicles operating at undesignated areas continues.

They launched the ongoing crackdown in June.
There has been rampant illegal picking of passengers at undesignated points by long-distance bus crews particularly along Bulawayo-Harare Road, Leopold Takawira Extension opposite Centenary Park and along Bulawayo-Plumtree Road at John Love Motors.

In a Press briefing yesterday, Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said the bus drivers who were found picking passengers at undesignated points were arrested and their buses were taken to Ross Camp Police Station.

He said he was surprised that illegal transporters continued operating even after having witnessed some of their colleagues being arrested.

On Wednesday police impounded 16 buses, 13 pirate kombis and five private vehicles.
Insp Ncube said upon arrest, the police established that most of the buses and vehicles impounded were either unregistered, not insured or had outstanding fees to settle with the city council.

He said they enlisted the services of the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID), the city council and Zinara to inspect and clear the impounded vehicles.

Impounded vehicles at Ross Camp in Bulawayo recently

He urged members of the public and illegal bus operators to desist from picking passengers at undesignated areas and that the police shall continue with their operation until sanity prevailed.

“Most of the vehicles we have impounded are not registered or have outstanding fees with the city council. For them to be cleared they will have to undergo inspection by the relevant authorities,” he said.

Bulawayo Housing Director Mr Dictor Khumalo commended the clampdown saying it reduced the rate of littering in the city.
He said illegal operators had put the city council in a tight position as vendors had also invaded the areas they were operating, hence promoting littering in the city.

“The nuisance of buses parking and picking people illegally in the city is exacerbating the challenges that we are facing in terms of litter generation,” he said.

He added that the vendors were vandalising infrastructure at the Centenary Park. – @Sagepapie14

Article Source: The Chronicle