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Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
A war has erupted between Harare City Council and errant commuter omnibus crews who are still using undesignated points to pick up and drop passengers. Kombis that do not have requisite papers are not using the holding bays along Coventry Road, hence the cat and mouse battles with municipal police. The kombis at times are being driven against traffic flow in one way lanes, putting the public at risk. The unregistered kombi crews are now going an extra mile to evade arrest after council said the commuter omnibuses would be released after 14 days. The owners also have to pay storage fees ranging between $350 and $1 000.

Yesterday municipal police in civilian clothes manned pick-up points with spikes, which they threw at defiant kombis and pirate taxis. At least 420 kombis have been impounded in Harare for violating city by-laws following the opening of the Coventry Road holding bay. City spokesperson Mr Leslie Gwindi, said council was doing everything to stop pirate taxis and kombis from using undesignated points.

“We want to bring sanity to the city and we will use every means to achieve our objective,” he said.
Mr Gwindi said all kombis should comply with the holding bay system or risk being impounded and face other punitive measures.

The kombis evading traffic and municipal police have at times caused fatal accidents. Currently the holding capacity of the ranks is 1 500 against demand of more than 6 500. Out of 10 000 kombis registered as public service vehicles in Harare, only 4 000 have the required paperwork to operate, meaning 6 000 are illegally operating. The city says the decision to construct kombi holding bays was a realisation that the existing parking space for public transport was not adequate.

The city has plans for additional such infrastructure planned to cater for kombis using the southern routes that include Chitungwiza and the eastern areas.