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Freeman Razemba-Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT is acquiring patrol boats, communication infrastructure and various equipment that will be used to enhance safety in some of the country’s largest inland water bodies, especially Lake Kariba.
The country has a Department of Inland Waters Control whose mandate is to facilitate the provision of safe and efficient Inland Water Transport Services while contributing towards the maintenance of safer and cleaner Inland Waterways under the In-land Waters Shipping Act 13:06.
It falls under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
This week, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Engineer Joy Makumbe, attended the 63rd Kariba International Tiger Fish Tournament in Kariba where she emphasised the importance of lake safety as well as Government’s efforts to ensure safe inland waterways.
“On Lake Safety First, Zimbabwe is a full member of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), committed to upholding international safety standards,” she said.
Eng Makumbe said on enhanced safety measures, law enforcement agents will patrol Lake Kariba to enforce safety requirements, including registered vessels, competent operators, and life jackets.
“The Ministry is working on acquiring communication infrastructure, control towers, patrol boats, equipment replenishment and navigational aid replacement,” she said.
Eng Makumbe said the Ministry will continue to ensure that there is implementation and enforcement of Inland Water Shipping Statutes, conducting first and annual vessel surveys to guarantee the seaworthiness of boats.
She said they will also be conducting Lake patrols and spot checks on vessels, managing the lake Navigation Radio Control/telecommunications system on Lake Kariba (i.e. continuous listening watch on VHF radios).
Other safety measures will be co-coordinating search and rescue operations, installation and maintenance of aids to navigation on Lake Kariba.
The Ministry also seeks to guard against non-economic or uneconomic duplication of shipping services through the permit system on inland waterways and conducting pollution surveillance and control on inland waterways, particularly in harbours.
The control tower at Lake Kariba operates between 6am and 6pm.
Online Reporter