Prince Chese
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) at Beitbridge on Wednesday dispersed an unsanctioned gathering of pirate taxi operators at Mashakada business centre where drivers convened to announce a 50% fare hike in response to a biting fuel crisis.
As soon as the pirate taxi operators convened for their meeting the cycling unit of the ZRP arrived asking where permission of the meeting had been sought.
“Who has sanctioned this meeting? What are you trying to demonstrate against? Who allowed you to gather here,” asked one of the police cyclists.
Earlier prior to police arrival some pirate taxi drivers told Ziyah News Network they had gathered to review upwards their fares in response to fuel hikes that have swept across the as a result of the USA and Israel War against Iran.
A single trip in Beitbridge costs R10 and the pirate taxi operators are keen to increase that to R15.
This is despite their vehicles are not licenced and not insured for public service.
The operators, who drive the ubiquitous “zvipipipi,” said the move is a “survival mechanism” rather than a choice.
While the ZRP dismissed the gathering as an illegal assembly, the drivers used the brief meeting to show a collapsing supply chain.
For years, the Beitbridge ecosystem relied on affordable fuel sourced from South Africa. However, tightening border restrictions have disturbed this lifeline, forcing operators to buy expensive local fuel.
“We used to rely on South African petrol, but nowadays it is not easy to transport that fuel into Zimbabwe,” said Junior Mutaviri, a local driver. “We need to move to 15 Rand just to make a profit.”
The economic strain is not only affecting the relationship between drivers and passengers but is also creating a rift between drivers and vehicle owners.
Drivers claim vehicle owners (bosses) still demand the same daily returns despite the fuel surge.
With operating costs doubling, the drivers’ take home pay has effectively vanished.
Operator Munashe said, “Our bosses are not accepting the challenges we are facing. They still expect the same returns, yet we are not making the same profit.”
The proposed hike also targets school run services, with fares for students specifically those attending St. Mary’s expected to double from 5 Rand to 10 Rand.
One driver, speaking on condition of anonymity, warned that if the industry collapses due to these costs, the resulting unemployment could fuel a surge in drug abuse and crime in the border town.
Despite the police intervention and the illegal status of the meeting, the drivers remain adamant that the current pricing model is unsustainable.
By operating uninsured and unlicensed vehicles, these “pirate” taxis already exist on the margins of the law.
It was not posible to get the comment from the Municpality of Beitbridge after several calls to the town clerk Loud Ramakgapola went unanswered.
MoB is expected to sanction the operation of these vehicles.