The days of harassment by touts are numbered as Government has declared a war on them following the circulation on social media of a video in which a woman was filmed crying while being harassed at an unidentified bus terminus.
Addressing the media this morning, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Dr Sithembiso Nyoni said Government notes with great concern the increasing incidents of harassment by touts towards women at bus termini and other public spaces across the country.
βEventually, we want to witness the removal of touts from all bus termini. Public spaces must be safe for all and may it be known that the law enforcing agents shall not deal with this lightly.
βMy ministry has engaged relevant Government departments and local authorities to nip these inhumane acts of gender-based violence in the bud,β she said.
The circulating video on social media platforms shows a woman being forcefully dragged by touts as she fights and cries while another is also seen pulling away her luggage.
Meanwhile, there was outrage among social media users over the video; they called on the government to take appropriate measures against the touts who have become a thorn in the flesh of passengers.
In the video, between 6 to 8 touts are fighting to have the woman board one of their buses and disregard her wishes and cries of agony as they pull her in opposite directions.
Some of the touts had already disposed her of her belongs in an attempt to force her to board the buses that they are working for.
Over the years the issue of touts had been a cause for grave concern.
In most of the cases they even use abusive language in public places.
It is further alleged that they operate under the influence of alcohol.
-Zwnews/ The Herald
