Martin Muleya
Manicaland Drivers and Transporters Association (MDATA) has expressed concerns over transport operators in Mutare who are not taking the City’s advice to belong to associations seriously.
According to MDATA, these operators were resisting efforts to form associations and comply with council regulations, allegedly in a bid to evade oversight and accountability.
MDATA spokesperson Edison Mudzimiri told The Midweek Watch that operators who are refusing to join associations are using their influence to circumvent regulations and benefit illegally.
“We have been asked to formulate a database for associations pertaining their affiliated members. MDATA has 91 members with a fleet of 135 active commuter omnibuses, Urban Link has 24 members although they did not have the total number of commuter omnibuses, SCUTA had 24 members with 65 active commuter omnibuses and Progressive Family Trust (PFT) had 35 members with 50 commuter omnibuses.
“These transporters are not taking the change in policy from the local authority seriously. They want to flock association when council will be effecting their by-laws. Some of the transport operators who are flatly refusing to belong to associations are police and army officers who have been benefitting as they are immune to arrest. Another aspect is we have some other transport operators who are not concerned nor even bother to attend meetings with regards to developmental issues,” said Mudzimiri.
These individuals, MDATA claims, are more interested in personal gain than contributing to the city’s development. Mudzimiri said these transport operators are using their influence to circumvent regulations and benefit illegally.
The lack of cooperation from transport operators is hindering the city’s efforts to create order and improve services. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between council and transport operators to achieve developmental goals and enhance the quality of service to commuters.
City of Mutare Acting Director Spartial Planning Engineer Brian Sango highlighted that there was no going back on the decree that all transport operators in the city should belong to associations registered with council.
“There is no going back on transport operators to belong to an association and we have decreed the deadline for the end of this exercise for end of this month. As a local authority so far we are not aware of any resistance from transport operators, in joining associations,” he said.
