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Chronicle Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Driving School Owners Association (ZDSOA) has said the nation has been robbed of a transformational leader following the death of Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza who was declared a national hero.
Cde Matiza succumbed to Covid-19 last Friday and is set to be buried today at the National Heroes Acre.
He will be buried along with late Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo and former Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services boss Retired Major General Paradzai Zimondi, who also died due to Covid-19 related complications.
ZDSOA vice chairman Mr Edwin Ndlovu said Minister Matiza’s death was a huge loss to the transport sector considering the role he was playing in transforming driving schools.
“Minister Matiza was a hands-on and transformational minister who had an open-door policy and an ear for all stakeholders in his ministry. As an association, we had presented many programmes and recommendations to the ministry which were in the process of being implemented. He shall be missed not only by his family and colleagues but the entire nation,” said Mr Ndlovu.
“Minister Matiza had agreed in principle that one member of ZDSOA be part of the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe board as we are a player in the teaching of new drivers how to drive.
This is an important development which could have led to reduction in road accidents. He was also spearheading the regulating of driving schools which we felt was important for the recognition and professionalisation of the sector. So, although some of these things had not been implemented, we were confident that they were going to be implemented under his leadership.”
He said the death of senior Government officials should be a wake-up call for members of the public to follow Covid-19 prevention measures as it does not discriminate against anyone.
“We urge the nation to stick to World Health Organisation’s (WHO) regulations on Covid-19 prevention by masking, sanitizing and maintaining social distancing. Working together, focused as a nation shall see us through. This is a national fight we should all partake in. There are many tools and weapons at our disposal to fight this scourge and the biggest one of all is prayer and unity of purpose. Let’s pray for heavenly mercies as a nation,” he said.
As of Monday, Covid-19 had claimed 1 075 lives countrywide while infections had surpassed 31 000.
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