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In response to the congestion caused by vehicles in the city centre and increased road accidents involving commuter omnibuses, police are barring kombis from the city centre.
Commuters say “Operation 100 percent Decongest the City” cannot be a solution to the reckless driving by kombi drivers and congestion which has been blamed for accidents that have cost the lives of many people.
Mr Xolani Ndlovu said barring kombis in an attempt to reduce congestion is a bad idea as most of the congestion caused by vehicles came from the large number of metered taxis operating in the city centre.
“The congestion that we see in our roads is mostly caused by metered taxis that are parked in almost every street corner. There are just too many taxis and they are the vehicles that have to be controlled and restricted.
“Kombis mainly drive along 6th Avenue and Herbert Chitepo which shows that there is not much activity that comes from kombis in the city centre as compared to taxis that drop and pick up passengers from the city centre,” said Mr Ndlovu.
Miss Lily Sibindi who also believed other vehicles were equally contributing to the congestion said police did not have to focus only on kombis which she says rarely crowded the main roads but on the activities from other vehicles.
“Haulage trucks are also causing congestion along the roads but that is being overlooked. Vendors with push carts are also culprits when it comes to congestion because you find them disturbing vehicles and pedestrians with their movement in the city centre.
“They carelessly move along or across roads and some of them place their push carts where vehicles are supposed to park and drop off people which causes a lot of congestion,” said Miss Sibindi.
Police recently launched the operation barring commuter omnibuses from passing through the city centre in a bid to reduce congestion and accidents.
The operation is also aimed at eliminating illegal pick-up points in the central business district. Commuter omnibus drivers from the western suburbs are expected to drive straight to Basch Street Terminus, popularly known as Egodini.
Those from the eastern areas are restricted from proceeding beyond Third Avenue Terminus while others are expected to drive to Egodini.
Mr Nyanda Mkhwananzi said the measure that had been taken by the police came as a huge blow to commuters.
“The operation is not reducing congestion or accidents in any way but is rather inconveniencing some passengers that are expected to walk long distances from Egodini area to their workplaces that are situated at the far end of town.
“Commuter omnibus drivers are the least affected because dropping off people at Egodini is an advantage for them to cut their routes shorter,” he said.
Mr Mkhwananzi said most accidents involving commuter omnibuses were common outside the city centre along routes that lead to suburbs and they were caused by laxity that came from police.
“Accidents are caused by unroadworthy vehicles that are allowed to drive free on the roads, public transport vehicles that are driven by people below 25 years and drunk drivers that are allowed to carry passengers.
“The city has many police roadblocks for example vehicles driving from suburbs like Cowdray Park, Emganwini, Emakhandeni pass through two or three roadblocks but kombis that are clearly unroadworthy make their way past these roadblocks into town. Some of the kombi drivers are unlicensed and their pass is the bribes they pay at roadblocks,” said Mr Mkhwananzi.
Miss Sibindi said it had become easy for vehicle drivers to overlook road rules because a simple payment to the traffic police was sufficient for a law breaker with the potential of endangering the lives of people to walk free.
“Despite the offences they make, kombi operators are able to walk free. Last year I was hit by a kombi and the driver did not have a licence. After a few days I saw the same car with the same driver and the obvious fact is that he had to pay to make his way out of the offence he had committed,” said Miss Sibindi.
Official statistics show that most road accidents that are recorded countrywide involve commuter omnibuses. The main cause is speeding as vehicle drivers do not adhere to road rules at the expense of the lives of many people.
Mr Ndlovu said police had to exercise stringent measures to punish road users who defy road regulations. He said traffic police details must be diligent and reject bribes.
“We see cars speeding on a daily basis in the city centre but not all of them are commuter omnibuses but even smaller vehicles. The police should set an example to other drivers of the consequences that face a driver who is caught speeding.
“Unfortunately, that example is not set by our city police because of the laxity which they exercise that allows criminals to walk free after bribing,” he said.
Mr Mkhwananzi who also believed the police were not doing enough to ensure those who defy road rules were punished, said some of the actions from the police turned them into criminals themselves.
“Some of the actions that are coming from the police are making their intentions questionable. There is no need to smash vehicles and damage property just to compel drivers to adhere to the operation.
“I witnessed a police officer smashing a kombi windscreen with a brick and later on a button stick and who becomes the criminal then. The problem that the police have is with drivers who do not adhere to rules and not with vehicles,” said Mr Mkhwananzi.
Online Reporter