Staff Reporter
Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) national coordinator Tafadzwa Goliati has raised concern over the transportation of passengers alongside goods such as steel and timber planks on buses, warning that the practice puts travellers at risk.
Goliati said the association had received complaints from passengers about the practice, with some allegedly facing threats or being forced off buses after raising safety concerns.
In a statement, the association urged bus operators to prioritise passenger safety by ensuring that goods are transported appropriately.
“When passengers raise concerns, they are threatened or forced off the bus by rude crew members and touts,” Goliati said.
PAZ urged passengers who encounter such practices to report them to bus operators or the police rather than remain silent when their safety is at risk.
The association said transporting bulky materials such as steel and planks alongside passengers raised safety concerns, particularly where the goods are not properly secured.
The concerns highlight the need for bus operators and relevant authorities to ensure that passenger transport complies with applicable safety requirements and that travellers can raise complaints without intimidation.
PAZ called on passengers to report suspected violations, although the association’s statement did not specify the number of complaints received, the routes affected or the bus operators i
nvolved.
