Government claims it is the process of coming up with relevant regulations to liberalise the public transport sector.
Addressing journalists during a post cabinet media briefing in Harare Tuesday, information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said government has the interests of the commuting public at heart, hence the decision to introduce new public transport systems.
“These will include the licensing of operators on any given route. The regulations will go a long way in alleviating the plight of urban commuters,” Mutsvangwa said.
She added: “Government takes this opportunity to assure citizens that it has the traveling public interests at heart and will expand all efforts to ensure that the situation is expeditiously ameliorated.”
The transport crisis in urban areas worsened over the past two weeks after police launched a crackdown on unauthorised vehicles commonly known as mushikashika
Commuters in urban areas were left stranded, spending hours in queues waiting for transport while others were risking their lives and traveling on busses’ roofs.
Some have been forced to walk long distances to and from work as ZUPCO buses failed to cope with the demand.