Online Reporter
B-Metro Reporter
A HATCLIFFE kombi driver who turned Harare’s rush hour into a death trap has been locked up and stripped of his licence for life.
The courts have finally sent a loud warning to dangerous drivers who appear to be on a suicide mission every time they get behind the wheel, turning the country’s roads into coffin conveyors to mortuaries.
Ruzvidzo Freedom (32) was sentenced to two years behind bars after he was caught driving against oncoming traffic at the busy Second Street (Sam Nujoma) and Upper East Road intersection.
The court heard how the Toyota Hiace driver ignored rules and entered a one-way lane, blocking other motorists during peak traffic. Though no one was injured, magistrates said his actions put lives in grave danger.
Freedom’s licence was canceled and he was slapped with a permanent driving ban for vehicle classes 2, 4 and 5 — covering minibuses, trucks and heavy vehicles.
“Reckless driving will not be tolerated. Driving against traffic endangers lives and can cause deadly accidents. Offenders will face harsh penalties, including imprisonment and lifetime driving bans. Public safety comes first,” the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said.
Traffic cops and prosecutors are tightening the noose on kombi drivers who treat city roads like racetracks. Authorities warned that every reckless driver is “a potential killer” and vowed zero tolerance on law-breaking behind the wheel.
With the ban in place, Freedom will never again legally drive the very kombis that once gave him a living but also earned him a prison cell.
derick.khumalo