Correspondent|GOKWE-NEMBUDZIYA legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena (ZANU-PF) has admitted that the ZUPCO public transport scheme “saved our skin” when angry civil servants and the commuting public were threatening more shutdown protests over rising cost of transport which followed fuel price hikes of 150% in January.

Wadyajena, who is a top ally of President Mnangagwa, has thanked Transport Minister Joel Biggie Matiza and his deputy Advocate Fortune Chasi for formulating the idea at a time government was caught at sixes-and-sevens following President Mnangagwa’s announcement of fuel price hikes.

Wadyajena however bemoaned the fact that the ZUPCO transport system was now collapsing since a few weeks ago when the Transport Ministry handed over the programme to July Moyo’s Local Government ministry.

In a tweet, Wadyajena said: “His Excellency President Mnangagwa, Ministers Joel Biggie Matiza and Advocate Fortune Chasi literally saved our skin at a time when private operators refused to transport people. It’s a shame to hear the ZUPCO scheme is now falling apart. I’ve a feeling this is the beginning of a long tale of corruption and incompetence.”

Chasi has indicated he is not updated on the ZUPCO troubles as the project has since been transferred to the ministry of local government under which ZUPCO falls.

While operators that joined the ZUPCO project were cushioned from fuel prices, they also have to pay employees and maintain the fleet and buy spares, which costs are not sustainable from the $1 per trip fare.

Some have since pulled out, a prospect the private kombi operators would relish as they were forced by ZUPCO competition to lower fares.