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Youth leader, fashion designer, and philanthropist, James Pande is pushing the council in Zimbabwe’s most ancient city for the re-opening of Masvingo Bus Terminus.
The Masvingo Bus Rank has been closed for some time and youths are pleading with the ZANU (PF) aspiring legislator for Masvingo Urban Parliamentary seat to engage the City Council so that they can operate legally without cat and mouse games with Council Police.
“I believe that the youths who man the bus termini across the cities have a role to play in maintaining law and order. With the rate of crime and drug abuse rife amongst the youths, most of them unemployed, giving them an occupation where they control bus termini gives them something to do. There is an adage that says an idle mind is a devil’s workshop so we must give rank marshals something to do.
“Working with some counsellors in the city, I have been engaging rank marshals on the importance of respecting the rights of girls and women and the need to shun rowdy behaviour or shaming travellers, especially women, based on their dressing or physical appearance. The response has been positive since we are also engaging the city fathers so that they open the Masvingo Bus Terminus or Rank as a matter of urgency,” Pande said.
The aspiring legislator said he is going to embark on a clean-up campaign at the Bus Rank with rank marshals.
“On the clean-up campaign, I am engaging the Masvingo City Council. I have direct links with young people operating at New Town Bus Rank in South Africa, the likes of Chirungu Transporters and we can organize Masvingo youths to establish a working relationship with them where they will be receiving and sending goods from South Africa via buses with the Bus Rank as their base.
“I also want to warn the Council officials who are playing cheap politics and sleeping on duty that their days are numbered. If they don’t want to listen to the concerns of young people, we are not going to sit back and relax but to take them head-on. We have the likes of Cornelius Cargo Tavaruva (Mhunga) who has vast experience in dealing with buses and touts (mahwindi). We will deploy him there to guide these young people and ensure a smooth flow of business at the bus rank of Masvingo.
“Another point I would like to emphasise is that vendors must not be treated as second class citizens. They are playing a big role in fending for their families. Their concerns must be addressed as well,” Pande added.