Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
Public transport operators have been urged to exercise caution and avoid speeding on the country’s major roads to curb road crashes countrywide.
This was said by the Zimbabwe Passenger Transport Organisation (ZPTO) chairman Dr Samson Nhanhanga during the High-Level Road Safety Indaba in Harare this Friday.
Vice-President Dr Kembo Mohadi officiated during the event, which was also attended by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Advocate Felix Mhona, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe, Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe board chairperson Mr Kura Sibanda, managing director Mr Munesu Munodawafa, transport operators, and various stakeholders.
In his remarks, Dr Nhanhanga said speeding was one of the causes of fatal road crashes, and there was a need for transport operators to exercise caution on the roads.
He said in most cases, some cases were also caused by stray animals.
“If you have realised that most accidents are caused by speeding. So, at the same time, with a lot of animals, stray animals on the road, if we reduce our speed, I think that is the biggest measure which we can take,” Dr Nhanhanga said.
“The issue of stray animals are one of the challenges being faced on the roads, and if you can remember, there were some areas where fencing was done, but at the end of the day that fence was removed.
“So we also encourage law enforcement agents to assist and arrest some of the farmers who leave their livestock along the country’s major roads.”
He said when the fence was erected in some areas along the highways, communities and traditional leaders were also given the responsibility that the fencing should be maintained, but it was vandalised.
“So at the end of the day it’s everybody’s responsibility. The people who own those animals is part of their property, as it will also protect their wealth,” he said.
“So at the end of the day, we are losing either way, we as bus operators and them as farmers. So I think we need to have maybe drastic measures so that at the end of the day we save lives.”
The Indaba is running under the theme “Confronting Zimbabwe’s Road Safety Challenges: A Call for Collective Action” and brings together various stakeholders from across the transport sector and other relevant institutions to deliberate on the country’s road safety challenges and explore collective solutions.
The engagement seeks to strengthen collaboration, promote shared responsibility and advance practical interventions towards improving road safety and reducing road traffic accidents in Zimbabwe.
