Hands Off Commuters: Rogue Transport Operators Warned
Zimbabwe's Consumer Protection Commission has issued a warning to transport operators against using intimidation or force to secure passengers at bus termini. The regulator emphasized that such coercive tactics are illegal and could result in fines or imprisonment.
Why it matters
The intervention aims to protect consumer rights and restore order in the public transport sector during high-traffic holiday periods.
The Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) has warned transport operators and their agents against using force, intimidation and other coercive tactics to compel commuters to board buses, saying offenders risk fines or imprisonment under Zimbabwe’s consumer protection laws.
The warning comes as schools close for the holidays and passenger volumes increase across the country, a period often marked by heightened competition among transport operators at bus termini.
In a statement, the Commission said it was deeply concerned by growing reports of commuters being pulled, pushed, threatened or misled into boarding buses they had not chosen.
“The Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) has noted with deep concern the increased reported incidents of some transport operators and their proxies forcing commuters to board buses they do not intend to board by pulling, pushing, intimidating or misleading them, especially as schools close and travel volumes increase,” the Commission said.
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