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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
Law-abiding motorists have welcomed the present blitz, which has seen more than 16 000 arrested, on unregistered and unlicenced vehicles, operators offering public transport without proper licencing and insurance, and the breaking of traffic rules by a host of truck, bus, kombi and car drivers.
Motorists in Harare said there were a lot of people who needed disciplining through heavy fines to restore order on the capital city’s roads. Some road users needed to be reminded of the traffic regulations and road rules.
The motorists said arresting drivers who drink and drive and those who drive while using cellphones should also be part of the operation. They hoped the operation would not result in the harassing of law abiding motorists over petty issues.
“We are happy with the operation because there was a lot of chaos in the city centre, especially during peak hours. This operation was long overdue and it is highly commendable,” said Mr Brian Moyo.
Another motorist, Mr Gibson Zvenyika said the operation will help in removing mushikashika on the road.
“I am happy with the operation. We were finding it difficult to drive past the city centre and we would avoid the CBD because there would be a lot of mushikashika blocking the traffic, picking and dropping people at undersigned points. This operation will create order in the city,” he said.
Ms Ruth Chibaya echoed the same sentiments and said she hoped the operation would create order in the city centre.
“We hope that this operation will create order in the city centre because there is a lot of traffic and chaos is the order of the day. The operation was long overdue and we hope it will bear fruitful results,” she said.
Pirate taxis are just one of the targeted groups, along with kombi and bus drivers who stop to pick-up and drop off passengers away from the designated bus stops, and kombis that have not been registered for public transport. But breaches of a wide range of other motoring offences have seen the total arrests climb.
More than 16 000 motorists have been arrested during the ongoing joint operation meant to tame the traffic chaos that has now become a menace in the city and town centres around the country.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said while the mushikashika drivers were the largest group of those arrested, 6 619 of the total of 16 369 or just over 40 percent, there were a lot of other owners and drivers who were arrested and had to sort out their paperwork and pay their fines.
“The ZRP reports that a total of 16 369 arrests have been effected during the on-going operation, ‘Tame the Traffic Jungle’; 419 arrests have been made on vehicles without route permits while 6 619 arrests have been made on illegal pirate taxis (mushikashika); 226 motorists have been arrested for reckless driving; while 837 vehicles have been impounded for moving on the roads with no registration plates,” he said.
The joint operation by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and other relevant Government departments seeks to restore order on the roads, especially urban roads.
Operation tame the traffic jungle” is underway for a two-week period from September 12 to September 26.
The police are conducting the operation jointly with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, Vehicle Inspectorate Department, city and town councils, Insurance Council of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the judiciary.
The operation is targeting vehicles that do not have registration plates, do not have ZINARA licencing up to date, and have foreign fittings such as flood lights and improperly imported vehicles, that is, under-declared duty, improperly marked vehicles, public service vehicles loading and offloading passengers at undesignated places, pirate taxis and kombis, heavy vehicles crisscrossing within towns and cities in disregard of city by-laws causing congestion, undocumented and defective public service vehicles, motorists parking dangerously in the middle of roads to avoid paying parking fees in designated bays, and pedestrians using undesignated crossing points on the roads causing congestion and accidents some fatal.
“Lawlessness on the roads especially in major cities has reached an alarming and unacceptable level. Some drivers cause chaos by driving against one way, oncoming traffic, through red robots and lane violation.
“Pirate taxis commonly known as mushikashika and pirate kombis have almost taken over the passenger service industry and are plying the roads with impunity.
“They recklessly drive through red robots (at traffic lights) controlled intersections. As a result of the chaos on the roads, innocent motorists are having a nightmare while driving in the urban setups,” read a police memo announcing the operation.
Online Reporter