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We are saddened by what amounts to debasement of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo statue in central Bulawayo by reckless motorists. We insist that carefree drivers are defiling that monument by slamming their vehicles into it. Since the icon was mounted at the corner of 8th Avenue and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street two years ago, dozens of accidents have occurred there. Much of its immediate environment, the bollards that encircle it has been damaged by speeding vehicles.
We argue that basically all the crashes that have happened there would not have taken place if motorists adhered to the stipulated speed limits for a central business district. There is absolutely no reason why a conscientious motorist driving at 40km per hour or slower can fail to notice the diversion of the road at the statue site and the need for him or her to act accordingly by steering their cars slightly to their left, and on.
Therefore we expect the offending motorists to be punished more severely for not only driving at excessive speed in a central business district, but also for crashing into an important piece of infrastructure.
In the most recent accident that happened two weeks ago, a racing driver drove his Honda to actually hit the pedestal of the statue, not just the bollards around it. He probably mistook the fine surface of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street for a race track.
We don’t view the crashes that have occurred there as simple accidents but serious ruination of a national monument that is held so dearly by the people. Motorists must just behave.
We report elsewhere in this edition that on Friday a cross-cutting committee of senior government officials visited the statue to assess the damage that has been caused to it by cars.
National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) director Godfrey Mahachi said:
“We’re really worried by the rate at which accidents are occurring at the Joshua Nkomo statue. This is an important heritage site and we don’t expect accidents to happen here or people to tamper with the site.
“These incidents, however, indicate that the statue itself is in danger of being knocked down by cars. We’ve therefore met as NMMZ and other stakeholders to come up with necessary measures to prevent the occurrence of incidents of this nature.”
We agree with him that there is no need for authorities to reduce the size of the pedestal. The statue is well situated where it is and as it is. You don’t minimise a commemorative image of a man of Joshua Nkomo’s standing. Doing so would be to belittle his contribution to the making of this country and its post-independence development. His statue must dominate its surroundings like he did during his time. It is road users that must change their driving culture.
But as Mahachi highlighted, there is need for a few developments to emphasise the presence of the figurine. More lighting and painting on the bollards, pedestal and on the bronze sculpture itself is important. The road surface has to be clearly marked, warning drivers of a slight change of course ahead. Motorists must also be made to understand that there is a possibility of meeting more concentrated foot traffic around the site as locals and foreign tourists frequent the statue to admire it and take a few pictures.
In addition to that, more physical restrictions, particularly speed humps on both sides of Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street a few dozen metres from the site will complement the softer signs. The humps will enforce a reduction in speed. We suggest humps similar to the small but sharp ones built at a section of Gwanda road adjacent to the National University of Science and Technology.
This must work better because not every driver pays attention to warning signs. Some of them might be drunk and fail to see them completely while others might see but still disregard them. However, with a speed hump, such drivers have no choice but slow down.
Traffic going west or east along 8th Avenue is not much of a problem, but still there must be some clearer road markings too, not necessarily speed humps.
Mahachi’s suggestion that all the motorists who damaged the bollards and the pedestal must be tracked down and made to foot the cost of repairing them is worthwhile. All of them must have gone away with small fines, a few bruises and wrecked vehicles, but left the government to bear the cost of their recklessness. Personal sanctions will make them feel they committed a not-so-ordinary offence.
Online Reporter