"Buses, Kombis In Bulawayo, Harare Grounded Since Friday Over Fuel Shortages," - ZUPCO

The Zimbabwe United Passenger Company has said it grounded buses and commuter omnibuses under its brand on Friday due to fuel shortages.

The company’s Southern Division operations manager Mr Tineyi Rwasoka said the government parastatal was expecting 40 000 litres later on Saturday from National Oil Infrastructure Company (NOIC) which will be enough for the company to resume services. He said:

It’s true we have been experiencing some challenges but we are receiving 40 000 litres of fuel which is almost in Bulawayo and we have got two more trucks which are coming in by today.

I should say the situation will be back to normal from around 1 pm onwards. The fuel challenge is nationwide and even in Harare, they parked the buses too.

This publication this week witnessed elongated queues at Copacabana bus terminus around 7 pm with commuters saying they had spent more than three hours to board the Zupco vehicles.

The country’s public transport system is collapsed and has been made worse by the banning of private owned commuter omnibuses from operating when the coronavirus induced lockdown was initially imposed in March.

More: SundayNews