The
concerns
come
after
two
successive
fuel
price
increases.
Diesel
rose
to
US$2.05
per
litre
and
petrol
(E5
blend)
to
US$2.17,
up
from
US$1.77
and
US$1.71
earlier
in
the
month.
Prior
to
that,
prices
stood
at
US$1.52
for
diesel
and
US$1.56
for
petrol.
Authorities
have
linked
the
increases
to
global
oil
market
pressures,
citing
tensions
in
the
Middle
East,
including
the
conflict
involving
the
United
States,
Israel
and
Iran.
During
a
recent
Senate
session,
Senator
Maxwell
Mdhluri
asked
what
measures
the
government
was
taking
to
prevent
“arbitrary
and
unjustified”
fare
increases.
“In
light
of
the
recent
fuel
price
increases,
what
policy
measures
has
the
ministry
put
in
place
to
regulate
and
monitor
public
transport
fares?”
he
said.
He
also
asked
whether
subsidies
or
relief
measures
were
being
considered
to
cushion
both
operators
and
commuters.
Senator
Irene
Zindi
said
enforcement
remained
a
major
challenge,
accusing
some
operators
of
exploiting
demand
during
peak
periods
and
bad
weather.
“Each
time
it
rains,
fares
increase,”
she
said.
“A
US$1
trip
can
go
up
to
US$2.
During
holidays,
a
US$10
intercity
fare
from
Mutare
to
Harare
can
rise
to
US$15
or
even
US$20.”
Transport
Minister
Felix
Mhona
said
fare
controls
differ
between
routes,
with
local
authorities
responsible
for
intra-city
transport,
while
the
government
oversees
intercity
fares.
“We
engage
operators
and
associations
through
our
road
motor
transportation
division
to
agree
on
fare
adjustments
when
costs
change,”
he
said.
However,
concerns
over
enforcement
extend
beyond
Parliament.
In
Bulawayo,
councillors
have
also
criticised
what
they
describe
as
growing
lawlessness
in
the
sector.
Ward
28
councillor
Ntandoyenkosi
Ndlovu
called
for
stricter
penalties
against
operators
who
charge
illegal
fares
or
operate
from
undesignated
points.
“We
now
have
many
unregistered
vehicles
ferrying
passengers,”
he
said.
“In
areas
such
as
Cowdray
Park,
passengers
are
often
dropped
midway
and
forced
to
pay
again.
We
need
to
enforce
our
by-laws
to
restore
order.”