[The economy continues to erode… and there seems to be no end in sight. Look at how weak Zimbabwe is… so ripe for a revolution… so ripe for a fall. How miserable it is to watch the world doing nothing. This evil man could be driven out so easily. Jan]

Harare – Thousands of Zimbabweans were stranded on Monday in the country”s worst transport crisis for years after fuel shortages halted cars, buses and trucks and police impounded unroadworthy vehicles.

“We are now spending more time in transport queues than at work or with our families. This is not much of a life,” said a resident here, who identified himself only as Solomon, as he waited for transport to the outskirts of the capital.

Zimbabwe has suffered erratic fuel supplies for five years, but transport woes worsened over the weekend after police removed hundreds of buses last week in a clampdown on vehicles deemed unsafe.

Commuters here milled around transport terminals on Monday, fighting for places on the few buses still running.

Some people have already resorted to walking to and from work, up to a 15km roundtrip, to save on transport costs which have more than doubled over the past month alone and now eat up a third of the average industrial worker”s paypacket.

The official Herald news-paper said a survey showed most garages had run out of petrol and diesel at the weekend, with some having last received supplies over a week ago.

Reports say the situation is equally bad in other cities including Bulawayo and Gweru, where most commuters are walking or cycling to work.

Zimbabweans also face acute shortages of food, unemployment of over 70 percent and one of the world”s highest rates of inflation amid a crisis that critics blame on economic mismanagement and political repression by Mugabe”s government.

The government accuses local and foreign opponents of sabotaging Zimbabwe”s economy to punish it for seizing white-owned commercial farms for landless blacks.

The government has repeatedly said it is working to address the fuel crunch, but has not spelt out exactly how. Officials blame the current squeeze partly on hoarding by some industry players who resell at exorbitant prices on the black market.

With both petrol and diesel selling at about ZIM$3 600 (R0.80) a litre, far below levels in neighbouring countries, authorities say some dealers are illegally exporting fuel for resale at higher prices outside Zimbabwe.

The crackdown on unsafe vehicles is part of a police blitz which has seen thousands of illegal business and residential structures demolished.

Transport operators also say foreign currency shortages have hampered their ability to import vehicle parts for repairs, taking even more cars off the roads.

Police say they are taking their controversial clean-up campaign to prosperous suburbs here, where they will target “illegal property developments” and houses that have been turned into offices, the Herald newspaper reported.

Police on Sunday bulldozed grocery shops, hair salons and outbuildings in Harare”s satellite town of Chitungwiza.

Churches have condemned the police action which has left many Zimbabweans without shelter.

This article was originally published on page 2 of Cape Times on June 21, 2005

Source: Independent Online (IOL)
URL: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click…br>