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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
Bus operators want an accident-free festive season this year and will collaborate with law enforcement agencies to achieve this, Zimbabwe Passenger Transporters Organisation (ZPTO) chairman Dr Sam Nanhanga said this week.
The bus operators met representatives of the police, Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) and the Harare City Council on Wednesday to work out how to avoid bus accidents.
Dr Nhanhanga said the operators felt it was necessary for them to meet the police and other agencies and work together to reduce accidents.
“This is a time when we need to remind each other what we are supposed to do as far as road usage is concerned,” he said.
“We have got the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and police telling our members that we do not need to fight. We need to educate each other and later we must enforce the law so that we can serve human lives on the road.
“The biggest issue is about resources. The ZPTO has imported more than 200 buses so far to help fill the deficit which existed in the transport industry, and this is a big step ahead. We have also bought two new vehicles to supplement enforcement for all arms of the Government.”
Dr Nanhanga said the bus companies will be working with all stakeholders in making sure that all bus operators were complying with the law.
Statistics from the TSCZ show that 77 people were killed in 1 295 road traffic accidents countrywide between December 15 and 27 last year.
TSCZ director of operations Mr Claudius Muzuva said they will be conducting road safety campaigns to ensure that road users were equipped with adequate information on road safety.
“As Traffic Safety Council, one life lost is one too many.
“Therefore, we are saying no to road accidents.
“We have zero tolerance and we are working with ZRP as well as VID and other stakeholders to make sure that there is sanity on the roads,” he said.
During the same period in 2020, Zimbabwe recorded 1 216 accidents that claimed 66 lives.
A police spokesman for Harare Metropolitan police province, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, said their wish was to have a festive season that is free of accidents, deaths and injuries.
“We work hand in glove with the transport operators and as ZRP Harare province, we are encouraging them to make sure that their buses are in good condition, to make sure they prepare well for this festive season that is around the corner,” he said.
“We want a festive season that is free of accidents, where there is no congestion, where we record zero deaths and injuries.
“There is going to be a high deployment of police especially in our major cities and highways. Police officers will be there enforcing and at the same time, we are going to team up with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe to have road safety campaigns.”
Online Reporter