adminConrad Mwanawashe Harare Bureau
MOST public transport operators have failed to insure the travelling public through Passenger Personal Accident Policy, a statutory requirement for passenger carrying vehicles, a move that puts the lives of passengers at risk in the event of accidents.
The government has been forced to intervene where some passengers have been killed in accidents involving public transport. In such cases the government has offered funeral assistance to the victims’ families as some transport operators do not have passenger insurance.
According to the law, all passenger carrying vehicles must have two types of cover; comprehensive cover for damage to the carrier in the event of an accident and secondly, insurance for the passengers known as the Passenger Liability Cover which covers the travelling public.
The PPAP disc should be displayed in the same way the vehicle licence is displayed.
No passenger carrying vehicle should be allowed on the road if it does not have either of the two covers.
To complement the government’s intention to ensure insurance cover for the travelling public, the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe last month launched the passenger liability cover.
Under the facility, after verifying membership, Nyaradzo will provide three classes of services in the event of the death of passengers; adults above 18 years — $1,500; children above 12 years — $1,000; children below 12 years — $500. A snap survey by our Harare Bureau showed that most coach and bus operators including commuter omnibus operators have not complied with the requirement.
“We launched the facility in April ahead of the Easter holidays. Other funeral homes have since approached us and we’re currently engaging them with a view of them coming on board. We went to Nyaradzo because of their branch network,” chairperson of the public relations committee of ICZ Grace Muradzikwa said.
“Since then many accidents of passenger carrying vehicles have happened. It seems very clear that these vehicles are being allowed on the roads without cover,” said Muradzikwa.
The insurance costs $15 per passenger per annum, translating to $1,25 per passenger per month. Passenger liability cover is bought according to the carrier you are operating. Failure by transport operators to comply with the PPAP means that the government is forced to intervene in the event of accidents which result in death.
“As the ICZ we met and asked ourselves why government has to step in and provide assistance for the dead when the passenger liability cover is available. It shouldn’t be necessary for the government to have to step in when there are national bus disasters because there’s a facility in place to deal with such,” said Muradzikwa.
Under such circumstances the government will be subsidising unscrupulous bus operators who fail to comply with statutory requirements.
“What we realised is that as the ICZ when an accident occurs our responsiveness was very slow. We then went into an arrangement with Nyaradzo and agreed on the various covers,” she said.
She said more public awareness programmes are necessary to make the public aware of the PPAP.
“It’s high time passengers made it their business to find out if a vehicle is insured before they get on board. It’s about their lives. If all passenger transport operators comply with the requirements with regards the passenger liability cover no one would be given a pauper’s burial,” said Muradzikwa. However the Coach and Bus Operators Association said its members are fully compliant with regards the statutory requirements.
“We’re certain that our members are fully compliant in this regard as Personal Passenger Accident Policies are mandatory in this country. Anyhow, in Zimbabwe you can’t apply and be granted a Route Authority without providing a valid PPAP and in all cases the Route Authorities are made to run and expire at the same time as the PPAP,” said Alex Kautsiro, the chief executive officer of the Coach and Bus Operators’ Association.
“However, it has to be understood that not every bus and coach operator is a member of CBOA and as such we can’t respond on their behalf,” he said.
On why most coach and bus operators and commuter operators are not displaying the PPAP disc as required, Kautsiro said the association’s members displayed the discs.
“However if other operators don’t have these then this would be very unfortunate as it highlights a huge deficiency which would need to be strictly enforced by Law Enforcement agents.”
Kautsiro said the CBOA is a voluntary association and not supported by statute which makes it difficult for it to enforce compliance.
“If this support was effected yes we would have capacity to self regulate and monitor strict compliance,” he said.
The ICZ and CBOA have engaged over insurance issues and come up with agreements particularly on the passenger insurance cover.
“Yes, we’ve engaged the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe on all insurance issues, but primarily for the PPAP and yes, we’ve come up with agreements which we’re sure will enhance the processing of claims in order to reduce turnaround time frames for passengers to get funds for any assistance,’ said Kautsiro.
Online Reporter