Online Reporter
IN yesterday’s edition of H-Metro, we reported about how Chief Seke took a swipe at the Vehicle Inspection Department and law enforcement agencies —accusing them of contributing to the carnage on the country’s roads.
The chief, whose real name is Stanley Chimanikire, said there was a criminal enterprise which involved owners of public transport, the traffic cops and VID officers. He claimed many people were now passing tests to be drivers without going through all the processes and paying their way to get the licences.
Chief Seke said kombis, buses and mushikashika were being allowed to pass police check points even though the vehicles were not roadworthy.
The owners of those vehicles, according to Chief Seke, were paying their way through the police check points and this was resulting in the road accidents like the one which killed 17 people along Seke Road last Tuesday.
Chief Seke was speaking at the site of the crash —exactly a week after the horror crash.
He said the number of lives being lost on our roads due to human error was worrying and alarming.
The chief said many accidents could be avoided if we do not allow some motorists to acquire driving licences through bribes.
He also said many accidents involving kombi drivers could be avoided if all traffic police officers do not allow unroadworthy vehicles to pass through road blocks.
Some unlicensed kombi drivers, he said, were even being allowed to pass through checking points.
It’s hard not to agree with Chief Seke.
There has been concern in this country for a long time that we are the authors of the tragedies we are seeing on our roads.
We are also the authors of the deaths we are seeing on the streets of our major cities.
We appear to have surrendered to the merchants of death and they have taken full advantage to express their madness which has fatal consequences.
These speed demons, who have no respect for the rules and regulations which govern conduct on our roads, have turned themselves into killing machines.
This has been happening for years and we have seemingly given them the licence to do as they please at the cost of many lives.
We agree with Chief Seke that we all have to look at ourselves in the mirror. This is not just about an introspection by the police and other law enforcement agencies.
This is not just about an introspection by the Vehicle Inspection Department. It’s an introspection for the entire nation.
We know where the problem is and if we unite we can tame this jungle. We have been charmed as a newspaper that in the last three weeks two reckless kombi drivers were jailed for two years.
This must be the norm.
We need to see many such cases because it should dawn upon these kombi drivers that if they continue with their wild ways they will end up in prison.
The time has come for us to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Bongani Ndlovu