Zupco accused of dumping tap cards
ZIMBABWE United Passengers Company (Zupco) has been accused of dumping clients who purchased its tap cards, with conductors reportedly demanding cash from passengers.
Zupco introduced the tap card payment system last year for the convenience of its passengers struggling to get cash from banks.
The disgruntled commuters told Southern Eye early this week that Zupco crews were claiming that the facility was offline. “It is sad because those people would have paid in advance. It is not surprising because we are a country that steals from the poor. All these are signs of a failed government that should be replaced by a transitional authority to prevent further decay,” Bulawayo-based pressure group, Ibhetshu lika Zulu secretary-general Mbuso Fuzwayo said.
Kadoma Progressive Residents Association secretary-general George Tafadzwa Goliati said passengers who had paid their fares in advance were now stranded.
“We have received reports that Zupco kombis and buses are no longer accepting tap cards and are now demanding hard cash. Many people had loaded their money in the cards so that they could be using their cards to board the buses,” Goliati said.
“As a residents association we have always been complaining about those cards because passengers are budgeting for that card after they had bought it,”
“The problem now is that after people have bought the cards at high cost and loaded their money, the cards are no longer being used. This is abuse of the rights of the passengers,” he said.
“The tap card is very problematic considering the inflationary economy we are operating in. Nowadays you hear them complaining about network and so forth.”
Zupco regional manager Tineyi Ruwasako denied the claims saying they were still accepting the cards.
“It is not true, but, however, contact our chief executive officer for more information,” Ruwasako said.
However, Zupco acting chief executive officer Evaristo Madangwe was not reachable yesterday.