ZIMBABWE PEACE PROJECT MONTHLY MONITORING REPORT
AUGUST 2021
5.2
The current situation in the public transport sector
ZUPCO chief executive officer Mr Evaristo Madangwa has said the
company requires 2 000 buses to run an efficient mass transport
system.
Currently, the transport utility owns 262 buses, while the rest are
operated through its franchise system.
Combined, there are about 750 to 800 ZUPCO buses operating,
leaving a deficit of over about 60 percent.
In addition to this shortage, the safety standards of a considerable
number of buses is questionable.
The legal framework and inclusivity
On paper, Zimbabwe is an inclusive society, and has progressive
policy frameworks on inclusivity and has ratified international
conventions such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
However, in practice, the environment is far from inclusive and this is
largely seen in the discriminative nature of public transport facilities
in Zimbabwe, which are inaccessible to persons with disabilities and
this has far-reaching negative consequences that go beyond mobility
limitation, and also include social exclusion, isolation and neglect of
persons with disabilities.
Persons with disabilities in poor contexts are often deprived of basic
services and this in particular, includes a lack of access to adequate
healthcare services, transport services and other social services.
With regards to the public transport system the exclusion happens in
two ways,
Firstly, the vehicles used largely in the public transport sector are not
modified to allow access for persons with disability, especially those
with physical disabilities. This is in addition to the unavailability of
supporting infrastructure.
Secondly, there is no deliberate awareness raising efforts targeting
bus crews to understand the needs of persons with disability. In some
instances, wheelchair users in Zimbabwe are sometimes charged
double fares so as to accommodate them, and their assistive devices.
COVID-19 and health
ZPP has observed that there has been no effort to sanitise passengers
boarding ZUPCO buses and people are still not observing social
distancing while on the buses.
The shortages of buses also continue to result in people ending up
gathering in large numbers, which further exposes them to COVID-19.
Image: Zimlive.com