Online Reporter
A total of 4 069 people were killed in road traffic accidents last year alone which was a 93 percent increase from the 2 104 killed in 2023. These are very frightening figures and something should be done urgently to reduce the carnage on our roads.
Two weeks ago, 25 people were killed when a bus and a haulage truck collided near Luthumba Tollgate, 25km from Beitbridge Town. Seventeen people died on the spot while eight others died on admission to Beitbridge District Hospital.
President Mnangagwa has said there is urgent need for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to implement the Electronic Management System to curb the road carnage which has been on the increase over the years. Addressing police officers and guests during a police recruit graduation ceremony at Mkushi Academy in Harare on Thursday, President Mnangagwa said the ZRP must tame the traffic jungle by speedily implementing the Electronic Traffic Management System.
“The high rate of indiscipline on our roads, which has resulted in the loss of countless lives due to road carnage, is disturbing. I call upon all Zimbabwean citizens to respect the country’s traffic laws and cooperate with the law enforcement agencies,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said most urban roads have seen heavy presence of pirate vehicles, commonly known as mushikashika and have been a menace for their notoriety in flouting traffic laws thereby contributing to the increased road accidents. President Mnangagwa said Government was fully aware of the need for adequate manpower and material resources to enable the ZRP to fulfil its constitutional mandate hence the recent handover of 500 vehicles for its operations.
“It is my sincere hope that the vehicles distributed across the country have enhanced the operational capacity of the ZRP,” said President Mnangagwa.
According to statistics, 80 percent of road traffic accidents in Zimbabwe are as a result of human error which means they can be avoided. In a bid to tame the traffic jungle, Government at one time suspended the operators’ licences for two bus companies after their bus drivers who were racing and blocking each other caused an accident.
Government has repeatedly warned public transport operators violating traffic rules and regulations that they risk having their licences withdrawn but it seems bus drivers are not taking heed. There is therefore a need for bus companies to introduce tracking systems to monitor the behaviour of their bus crews as part of efforts to tame the traffic jungle. The bus racing being witnessed on our highways cannot be allowed to continue as it is putting the lives of travellers at risk.
We have said it before that passengers should not hesitate to report reckless bus drivers at the next roadblock or police station as this is the only way to control the behaviour of these bus drivers.
The ZRP, as President Mnangagwa said, should speedily implement the Electronic Traffic Management System so that these errant drivers can be weeded out.
