Cowdray Park residents fume

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COWDRAY Park residents have petitioned their councillor seeking his intervention to stop transport operators in the area from overcharging.

COWDRAY Park residents have petitioned their councillor seeking his intervention to stop transport operators in the area from overcharging.

Ronald Moyo Own Correspondent Commuter transport operators plying the route last week unilaterally increased fares from R5 to R7, citing increased operation costs, including the price of fuel.

On Sunday, Ward 28 residents in Cowdray Park’s phase two held a meeting with councillor Collet Ndlovu where they expressed anger over the behaviour of commuter operators.

They also complained about irking perennial water problems.

Ndlovu, sworn in last week, promised to engage transport operators with a view of having the charges reversed.

However, he warned operators against exploiting residents, saying their behaviour was unacceptable.

He revealed that he had approached Zupco to provide four buses that would ferry residents at a reasonable price.

“I have talked to some of them (commuter omnibus drivers) that if they continue behaving this way we are going to ban them from operating in this area,” he said.

“I have talked to Zupco to provide us with four buses that will operate in this area. We are yet to finalise the deal, but I have already showed them the route.”

Residents pointed out that a commuter train service to Cowdray Park could be another option.

“We have a railway line here, so we can also use a train as an alternative and it is good for some of us who go to work in the morning and knock off during late hours,” another resident said.

The MDC-T councillor said he was making efforts to develop Cowdray Park phase two, pointing out that he was engaging the Bulawayo Home Seeker Consortium Trust (BHSCT), a construction company.

He urged residents to pay $380 per house to raise a $46 million service fee to be paid to the city council.

Mkhululi Nyathi the project co-ordinator for BHSCT said they were hoping water supplies would be connected to the area soon.