2021-01-16 03:06:46 GMT2021-01-16 11:06:46(Beijing Time) Xinhua English
HARARE, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) The Zimbabwean government has approved a hike of fares for state-operating intra-city public transport to prepare for reducing business amid a new COVID-19 lockdown.
The fares will see a nearly-90-percent increase for various distance ranges for both conventional buses and commuter omnibuses.
In a memo on Wednesday, Secretary for Finance and Economic Development George Guvamatanga said the new fares will take effect from Jan. 18 to boost revenues for the state-owned Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) during the new lockdown lasting till Jan. 31. Treasury notes the proposed fares for both buses and commuter omnibuses, which are necessitated by the reduced carrying capacities due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting constraint on revenues which negatively impacts on operations, Guvamatanga said.
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By Staff Reporter
THE newly reintroduced urban commuter trains have been suspended following the return to a stricter Covid-19 lockdown.
The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) suspended the affordable commuter trains last Friday insisting it was in line with the new Covid-19 regulations pronounced by Vice President and Health Minister Constantino Chiwenga early this month.
The NRZ said the decision followed the realisation that some commuters were taking advantage of the trains to evade police road blocks since trains have no police checkpoints.
NRZ public relations manager Nyasha Maravanyika Wednesday said the parastatal will be guided by the government depending on the developments on the ground.
The suspension of duty on public service buses for Zupco is valid for 12 months with effect from yesterday.
According to the latest Government Gazette, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube in consultation with the minister of Local Government July Moyo said public service buses that enjoy the rebate have a sitting capacity of at least 60 passengers.
“The Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Private) Limited as an approved importer shall, for a period of 12 months with effect from 1 January, 2021, be allowed to import a maximum of 250 public service buses under suspension of duty as provided for in this section.
“The approved importer shall, when effecting entry on importation, or on removal from bond of a public service bus under suspension, submit with the relevant bill of entry a declaration signed by him or her, to the effect that the public service bus is to be used for transporting persons in line with the approved importer’s public transportation business,” read part of the n
‘2020 marks death of public health system’
BY PHYLLIS MBANJE
In the midst of severe economic unrest, the Zimbabwean healthcare system has been disintegrating and coming apart at the seams over the years and 2020 took it a notch higher with the advent of COVID-19.
As the curtain comes down on 2020, health stakeholders and workers reflected on the sector in the face of COVID-19 as well as the inherent challenges. Many said the year marked the death of the public health system.
Enock Dongo (Zimbabwe Nurses Association)
“We were the hardest hit as frontline workers. Nurses are the first port of call and that means increased exposure. When COVID-19 cases started being recorded in Zimbabwe, we had no clue as nurses about the novel disease. We were blank. We had just read about it but lacked the appropriate knowledge to manage cases. A few trainings were done but many were not trained. We estimate that only a quarter received the training.