Reports indicate that that kombi fares have risen by over 50% in Harare and Bulawayo on Friday. The fare hikes have been attributed to the current fuel crisis, with most commuter omnibuses camped at various service stations waiting for fuel.
A Bulawayo24 report claims that the Secretary-General of Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe Raymond Majongwe said after talking to a few kombi drivers said that their reason for increasing fares was the demand for foreign currency by fuel service stations.
Commuter Omnibus users from Harare and Bulawayo confirmed to us that indeed the prices have gone up. On Thursday state broadcaster ZBC reported that the fuel situation worsened with most service stations experiencing long winding queues whilst several others were out of stock of both diesel and petrol.
Despite government guarantee that it is working flat out to address fuel challenges in the country, the situation prevailing in Harare is dire, a scenario that will certainly affect the productivity of most businesses as fuel is a key facilitator. There are fears that the fuel shortages may cause retailers to adjust their prices as the scarce fuel finds its way to the black market where the prices become prohibitively high. Motorists have called upon the government to prioritise fuel availability in the country.
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Fuel Situation To Normalise In The Next Few Days: Mthuli Ncube
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Fuel Shortages A Result Of Delays In Foreign Currency Allocation: Energy Minister
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