Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
MATABELELAND North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo has challenged the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) to be ruthless with overloaded trucks along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road so as to preserve the crucial infrastructure.
Heavy-duty trucks, especially those carrying coal from Hwange were cited as one of the major reasons that led to deterioration of the road with the situation said to have become worse as more and more merchants resorted to road transport due to some operational challenges that affected the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).
Speaking during a recent media road assessment tour by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara), Minister Moyo bemoaned the havoc caused by the trucks.
“Government has poured in a lot of money towards the rehabilitation of this road and we are calling upon the VID to be decisive in dealing with any overloaded truck. We want to see the presence of VID and other road traffic enforcement agencies like the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP),” said Minister Moyo.
He said enforcement of regulations must not be done during targeted operations only but must be a new way of doing things as besides protecting the road, it also leads to a reduction in road traffic accidents and in the process, preserving the sanctity of human life.
“I am reiterating again the need to jealously guard and protect this road, its impact to the economic growth of the country, in line with Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) can never be over emphasized, its not negotiable. VID do your part and this goes to other agencies,” said Minister Moyo.
