The Chronicle
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT has directed Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to strengthen its by-laws so that the local authority can effectively deal with the congestion menace in the city centre, including along 5th Avenue which has become a haven for illegal vending activities.
Chaotic scenes have become the order of the day in the city centre with cross-border buses virtually taking over some parking spaces and turning them into undesignated pick-up and drop-off points in violation of the council by-laws.
Some of the buses have turned parking space along Fife Street in the city centre into a rank while others park between Leopold Takawira Avenue and 6th Avenue, opposite Bulawayo Central Police Station. The development has created congestion, making it difficult for pedestrians to walk on the pavements as the area now resembles a bus terminus. The chaos is happening in the full glare of police officers who are just a stone’s throw away.
Businesses in the city have also expressed concern over the commotion in the city centre, saying it affected their operations.
Pirate taxi operators have also invaded various parts of the city. Despite routine joint operations between BCC and the police, the situation remains the same. What is of major concern is that the illegal activities by bus operators have also attracted vendors who have literally camped outside business…
