dyton mupawaenda
Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
BUS operators yesterday welcomed the lifting of bans by Government for three companies, whose licences had been withdrawn following fatal accidents.
The companies are Swaymo Enterprises, trading as Blue Circle, Wipeco Investments that trades as City Bus and Simlex Coaches.
The lifting of the suspensions, with effect from yesterday, was announced by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona.
When the suspension of operators’ licences was announced, it was meant to allow the companies to address areas where they were not fully compliant.
In an interview yesterday, Zimbabwe Passengers Transporters Organisation chairman, Dr Samson Nhanhanga, said they were happy that the Government had lifted the suspensions of the bus operators.
“We applaud the Government for lifting the ban on Blue Circle and Simlex buses,” he said.
“I understand that the two bus operators were not complying with regulations, but they have learnt their lessons.
“The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development has made it clear that bus operators should belong to an association, so I hope that from now onwards, the two bus operators will comply with the regulations.”
Dr Nhanhanga said they have since agreed that no bus owner would be allowed to operate if they do not belong to an association.
Speaking during a media briefing in Harare yesterday, Minister Mhona said they had “lifted the suspensions of the licences for operation of all omnibuses” belonging to Blue Circle, City Bus and Simlex Coaches from yesterday.
“The said operators breached the terms and conditions of the licences issued to them, leading to fatal road traffic crashes that occurred on 9 and 16 March 2024, in Western Cape, South Africa and in Beitbridge, respectively.
“The operators breached the terms and conditions of their operating licences by operating public service vehicles without valid motor and passenger insurances; certificates of roadworthiness, road service permits, installed speed monitoring and limiting devices, and employing drivers without the requisite competences to drive buses,” he said.
Minister Mhona said following investigations by authorities and subsequent compliance processes undertaken by the operators in terms of the Road Traffic Act and the Road Motor Transportation Act, the commissioner had lifted the suspensions.
Going forward, Minister Mhona said the bus operators would be placed under a compliance monitoring programme to continuously assess if they would be adhering to the regulatory requirements.
The programme would be extended to all operators found violating the terms and conditions of their operating licences.
The ministry will monitor the compliance of all transport operators using existing IT tools so that regulatory violations are recorded in real-time as vehicles pass through the country’s road tolling points.
Online Reporter