By Own Correspondent|In a statement issued Thursday, government announced the new kombi fares.

According to a report by the national broadcaster, ZBC the new fares regulated commuter omnibus operators who had unjustifiably hiked fares disadvantaging commuters.

The government said the following fares will apply:

• Less than 10km: $1
• 11km – 20km: $2
• 21 km and above: $3

However, government did not reveal whether the fares were agreed to by the commuter omnibus operators whom it met in Harare yesterday.

Government did not reveal how it will ensure that kombis adhere to the stipulated fares as kombis are owned by many different individuals and pricing is usually determined by the kombi crew depending on various factors currently outside government’s control.

Kombis are privately owned minibuses used for commuting in Zimbabwe as the governments owned public transport company, ZUPCO, has no capacity to provide the services nationally.

Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana said:

Government has noted with concern a creeping profiteering streak by commuter omnibus operators, who are taking advantage of the disturbances in the past few days to overcharge commuters itching to go about their day-to-day activities, despite the rebate in excise duty for fuel extended to them by Government being in place.”