Multi-stakeholder dialogue on formal and informal forms of public transport in Harare, Zimbabwe: Convergence or divergence perspective

Abstract

Cities in the developing world are growing both geographically and demographically. Thisgrowth has increased pressure on services, including the public transport systems used bythe majority of people. In the last two decades public transport provision has undergoneconsiderable changes. Concomitant to these changes there has been debate on the formof public transport to be operated. Such debate has been informal, general, and at timesacademic, and therefore not able to provide substantive understanding of the views of keystakeholders. Zimbabwe has had an explosion of informal transport activity in the formof minibuses, and decision makers appear to be in a policy dilemma because of a need tostrike a balance between maximising passenger welfare whilst protecting the livelihoods ofindigenous minibus operators and striving to build an efficient and environmentally soundurban transport system. Critical questions for policy dialogue in this conundrum include,inter alia: How do stakeholders perceive the current public transport system? How can publictransport be sustainably provided? This study seeks to answer these questions using a casestudy of Harare. A qualitative research approach blended with some quantitative aspects wasused. Initial steps involved the identification and clustering of key urban public passengertransport stakeholders, followed by structured and unstructured interviews. Although thereis lack of consensus on the form of public transport that the City of Harare should adopt, thereis a strong view that a mass transit system is the backbone of sustainable public transport.

Transporte E Mobilidade Como Suporte Ao Desenvolvimento Socioeconômico Em Pequenos Municípios De Perfil Rural No Nordeste Brasileiro

“…Rye et al (2018) no contexto europeu, destacam a complementaridade das opções de governança formais e informais. Estudos na África, onde os transportes informais são muito mais recorrentes, destacam-se mais seus aspectos negativos e uma tendência a bani-los ou controlá-los na intenção de modernização das cidades (MBARA et al, 2014;AL-HASAN et al, 2015;AGBIBOA, 2018;EHEBRECHT et al, 2018). Em outro contexto, na Índia estudos de Kumar et al (2016) mostram que os serviços informais são necessários e não apresentam a mesma conotação negativa de outros países.…”

An Analysis of Impediments to Deliver Sustainable Transport in Cities of Developing Countries: The Case of Harare, Zimbabwe

“…Firstly, subsidies were cancelled; secondly, fares determination became the responsibility of Central Government and no longer of the Local Authority and thirdly, private vehicles (invariable Peugeot station wagon) were for the first time legally licenced to operate and compete with the bus company in Harare. Mbara et al [21] remarked that these decisions were a watershed that marked the decline of conventional bus public transport in Harare. Revenues for the conventional bus operator started to drop and consequently the company found itself without adequate revenue to maintain its fleet, let alone buying buses for expansion [20].…”

The Johannesburg negotiated bus rapid transit contract: How has it benefitted the stakeholders?

“…This has contributed to severe traffic congestion. The unprecedented congestion that is a common phenomenon in larger cities, compounded with the growth of population, has ignited fresh thinking on the role of the informal sector's contribution in meeting the demand for public transport (Mbara, Dumba & Mukwashi 2014). Of importance is to ask how these countries are going to revive their formal public transport systems?…”