Bulawayo councillors have raised concerns over public transport challenges affecting several suburbs, warning that the city’s policy allowing only five registered commuter transport companies to operate has left some residents without reliable services.
The concerns were raised during a council committee meeting after the director of town planning presented a progress report on several Local Subject Plans (LSPs) and Local Development Plans (LDPs) currently being undertaken by the department.
Ward 17 councillor Sikhululekile Moyo said the current policy had created gaps in transport services in some communities.
“This has resulted in limitations by residents in some areas to have public transport service,” Moyo said.
She said parts of Pumula South, Robert Sinyoka, St Peter’s Village, Mazwi, Methodist Village and Hyde Park had no public transport because registered companies were unwilling to service those routes.
“The five public transport companies do not want the routes in those areas,” she said, adding that unregistered vehicles were currently providing transport services in those communities.
Moyo also criticised enforcement operations by the city’s Traffic and Transport Inspectorate (TTI), saying they were affecting vehicles that were assisting residents.
“Those unregistered vehicles provide an efficient service in those areas,” she said.
Councillor Suzan Sithole also criticised the city’s commuter transport system, saying it was not user-friendly.
“The city’s public transport is not user friendly,” Sithole said.
Sithole said residents travelling to Cowdray Park were often transferred from one commuter omnibus to another during a single trip.
“This happens at an area called Esporweni in Makhandeni affecting residents going to Cowdray Park,” Sithole added.
Sithole also raised concerns over hygiene conditions at the site and accused TTI officers of harassing residents. Councillor Ashton Mhlanga, however, said council had already adopted a resolution empowering TTI to enforce by-laws.
“There is a council resolution which empowered TTI to enforce by-laws and check Zinara discs,” he said.
Councillor Greater Gumude suggested dialogue between stakeholders to resolve the issues.
“There should be a meeting between public transport companies, council and the residents. This meeting would iron out a lot of issues regarding public transport,” Gumude said.
Councillor Lazarus Mphandwe agreed, saying councillors should first engage residents’ associations before approaching transport operators.
“Councillors should engage their residents associations before approaching these public transport companies,” he said, adding that transport challenges were affecting residents particularly during peak hours.
Meanwhile, the town planning department said several planning frameworks aimed at guiding development across the city were progressing.
These include Local Subject Plan 20 for Ascot, which was adopted by council on September 3, 2025 and placed on public exhibition between November 5, 2025 and January 9, 2026.
Officials are currently attending to comments raised before the plan is gazetted.
The city is also working on Local Subject Plan 18, which focuses on the northern areas of the central business district and is currently on public exhibition.
Drafts for Local Development Plan 12 have also been completed and presented to council structures and external stakeholders and are currently on public exhibition.
The council is also reviewing Local Development Plan 8, which focuses on industrial areas, while Local Development Plan 14 for the southwestern areas is at the study stage before drafting of the written statement begins.
Planning is also underway for Local Development Plan 21, which covers suburbs including Northend, Paddonhurst, Sunnyside, Sauerstown, Rowena, Queenspark, Highmount and Tegela, as well as Local Development Plan 6, which focuses on southern suburbs such as Emganwini, Nketa, Nkulumane, Sizinda and Tshabalala.
Responding to councillors’ concerns, the Director of Town Planning said the city’s public transport policy was already operational but acknowledged there were challenges.
“The public transport policy is now operational. There are a few teething challenges which are being corrected,” he said.
He added that consultations were underway before transport companies signed service level agreements with residents and warned commuter omnibus operators not affiliated with registered companies.
“No commuter omnibus will be allowed to operate if it does not belong to any company,” he said.
Council later resolved to receive and note the report.