BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
There is need for concerted efforts if we are to come up with tangible solutions to end or reduce traffic road accidents which continue to kill or maim people, Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) National Coordinator Tafadzwa Goliati, has said.
Goliati revealed this as he said as PAZ, they applauded the Government through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, on the recent review and implementation of the Radius Based restrictions for commuter omnibus from the current 120 kms to 60 kms. “As an organization, we are also concerned on the increasing rates of road carnages on our roads.
“We feel that concerted efforts should be carried out by all concerned stakeholders to come up with tangible solutions to reduce or totally end road carnages, which continue to kill or maim citizens of the country,” said Goliati.
He also revealed that they were in support of the initiative to enforce terms of section 3 (1) of Statutory Instrument 118 of 2023, prohibiting vehicles from operating without installation of speed limiting and monitoring devices.
“Our organization also applauds the move which we feel is part of efforts to minimise carnages.
“We also wish to highlight that we feel that there are other areas which may not be accessible due to the limitation, emphasizing the need for alternative and safe public transport systems which government in our view should promote and facilitate its implementation.
“There are some long distance routes which we feel will also be affected and effective alternative modes of transportation should be availed to travellers.
“We can also cite an example of travellers, going to areas like Sanyati and Gokwe whom we feel are likely to face transport challenges since they come from far off areas.
“They are also severely affected by the poor rural road network,” said Goliati.
He added that they are also concerned on the issues of policing and urge the responsible agencies to be on top of the situation, be well equipped and to monitor corruption.
“On some of the routes, we even see passengers precariously sitting on top of speeding kombi roofs.
“This poses danger to passengers. We have seen some of these kombis ferrying passengers on roof tops, evading roadblocks or at times being left to pass through roadblocks.
“Then as an organisation, we tend to question the seriousness of policing and law enforcement if we are to minimise road carnages.
“We have on several times seen kombis carrying touts, dangling like carrots and hanging outside moving vehicles.
“This seems to have been normalised and no law enforcement is seen to be applied, something we as PAZ feel is being allowed and is dangerous to those who engage in such behaviour.
“We also have a concern on insecure and heavy loading of passengers and goods which can affect vehicle mobility,” he added.
It however remains to be seen if the new regulations will be adhered to as some commuter omnibus operators have been left to drive with impunity, engaging in dangerous acts risking the lives of other road users.
