Transport woes irk workers during Covid-19 lockdown

Workers commuting to and form the city center and their respective homes are lamenting the slowness exhibited by the ZUPCO buses to ferry them in the afternoon.

By Tendai Chisiri

Editor
Afternoon commuting has became a nightmare for workers offering essential services during the Covid-19 lockdown time.
In a snap survey at Copa- Cabana terminus in Harare city center, workers could be seen seated on the ground in queues outside the terminus shelters in the shade of the shelters to be protected from the scorching heat.
The ZUPCO buses in line with the lockdown precautionary measures carry 2 passengers on the seats of 3 passengers and 1 passenger on the seats of 2 passengers to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. ZUPCO are the only public transport available with commuter ominbuses shut down during the lockdown period.
“The other day, I came here at 3:30 pm and only managed to board the bud back home at 7:30 pm “, said Tapiwa Mashingaidze a Pick n Pay staff at Kamfinsa branch. Mashingaidze who lives in Dzivarasekwa also bemoaned the shortage of the buses in their area.
His sentiments were echoed by one Takarwira Chando who works at Corporate 24 Hospital Groups. “It’s not easy to maintain the 1 metre social distancing whilst the buses are few. On the first Monday of the 2nd phase of the lockdown, the police came ordering people to be 1 metre apart but it was to no avail as the queue stretched too far”, he said.
“The staff at the buses should not go all at once to recess. ZUPCO should give them shifts to go to lunch so that passengers should not be left stranded “said a worker on condition of anonymity.
Zimbabwe United Passengers Company city inspector Mr David Wakatama referred the questions to the CEO. “To have many buses can result in disorder as some people may come with fake letters”, he said. It is a prerequisite that passengers have letters to confirm that they are on duty before boarding the buses during the Covid-19 lockdown time.
To be or not to be in the lockdown period, boarding ZUPCO buses in the afternoon has been a headache to a lot thus bringing out the phrase, make the hay whilst the sunshine shines.