Hwenje Tours Bus Loaders Accused of Harassing Pass...

Hwenje Tours Bus Loaders Accused of Harassing Passengers

Witness Runodada

Zim Now Writer

Harare commuters traveling along the Bulawayo Road are raising growing concerns over harassment and intimidation by bus loaders, known as "mahwindi," working for the Hwenje Tours bus company. Reports of aggressive and forceful tactics aimed at coercing passengers—particularly women, children, and those with luggage—into boarding buses at the Showgrounds area have sparked alarm.

One of the most recent incidents, which highlights the severity of the situation, involved a young couple traveling with their three-month-old baby. The couple, seeking transportation to Ngezi, was approached by three aggressive loaders as they walked near the buses. Despite initially expressing their intention not to board, the loaders persisted with increasingly forceful behavior.

The mother, carrying her baby in a carrier, described how one of the loaders physically grabbed her arm, attempting to drag her toward the bus. When her husband stepped in to intervene, the situation quickly escalated, with one of the loaders reportedly picking up a stone and threatening to harm him. Another loader reportedly pretended to strike his colleague, creating a scene meant to disorient and pressure the couple into boarding the bus.

Fearing for their safety, the mother reluctantly agreed to board the bus with her baby, and her husband followed. Once on board, the woman noticed that other passengers had faced similar treatment. One elderly woman was reportedly subjected to verbal abuse by the loaders, who demanded she leave the bus, only to later laugh off the incident, hinting at possible collusion with the bus crew.

This aggressive behavior has left many passengers, particularly women and those with children or heavy luggage, feeling vulnerable and traumatized. The loaders are suspected to operate as part of an organized system, working in concert with bus conductors to forcibly load passengers, often under the guise of urgency or safety concerns.

The ongoing reports have raised serious questions about the safety and fairness of public transport in Harare. Passengers are calling for authorities to take action and investigate the practices of Hwenje Tours, with many demanding that bus companies take responsibility for ensuring that their passengers are not subjected to such intimidation.