The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
A TOTAL of 480 buses and private vehicles are on the Bulawayo City Council wanted list after they evaded paying tickets after they were caught operating at an illegal pickup point that is adjacent to Eveline High School in the city.
Residents recently threatened to take matters into their own hands to deal with the illegal pickup point that is located at the corner of Samuel Parirenyatwa Street and Leopold Takawira Avenue.
Bus operators and touts had since become a menace at the illegal pick up point with the local authority seemingly failing to deal with the issues.
However, last week the local authority deployed its security personnel and cordoned off the area to prevent the bus operators from operating.
Responding to questions from Sunday News BCC corporate communications manager, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu reiterated that they will not leave any stone unturned in dealing with the illegal pick up point.
She revealed that since January they had 480 outstanding tickets that were issued to buses and private vehicles that were caught operating at the site, with 154 having been clamped and towed away to date.
“The area around the park is not designated as a pick up or drop off point. Any picking up of passengers in that area is illegal.
We have since the beginning of this year issued 634 tickets at the illegal pick up point and 154 vehicles inclusive of buses and private cars have so far been clamped this year.
We have 480 outstanding fines yet to be paid that were issued to both buses and private vehicles that took off evading clamping,” said Mrs Mpofu.
She also dismissed sentiments in the public domain that some of council security officials tasked with manning the site were being bribed by transport operators hence the failure to effectively deal with the problem.
“We are closely looking at the issue of corruption allegations but so far have not received anything tangible. The City of Bulawayo will continue instituting investigations and calls on members of the public who have information on these allegations to assist,” she said.
Residents last week took to social media to commend the local authority for the swift response in dealing with the matter.
Mr Dumisani Nkomo who has been vocal in complaining about the activities of the illegal pick up point said this would go a long way in preserving the city’s status and development trajectory.
“So far so good .The city council has cordoned off the area near Eveline High School which had become a haven of long distance buses.
Chaos and disorder had become the order of the day epitomised by health hazards, littering and unruly behaviour.
Keep it up Bulawayo City Council, Let us do this together, keep Bulawayo safe, keep Bulawayo clean,” said Mr Nkomo.
Last week the city’s deputy mayor, Councillor Mlandu Ncube said the local authority was in the process of negotiating with their partner in the city’s parking management system, Tendy Three Investments (TTI) to see whether they could take over policing of the area.
