Zimpapers Logo

The two accidents which claimed 24 lives this week have exposed the need for police to up their game on the country’s roads.

Firstly, intercity travel is banned under the level four lockdown regulations. How did these vehicles carrying so many passengers pass through check points?

Secondly, all the vehicles involved are illegal means of transport. Pirating Toyota Granvia and Toyota Wish vehicles are a perennial headache on the country’s highways.

Thirdly, the number of people inside the vehicles is frightening. How can a minivan with 12 seats carry over 20 passengers?

Three people died and 18 were injured on Wednesday when a Toyota Granvia burst a tyre and overturned about 70kms along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway.

In the previous accident a Toyota Granvia had a head on collision with a Toyota Wish at 61km peg along Masvingo-Mbalabala Road, and 21 people were killed.

The Toyota Granvia, which was travelling from Masvingo, had a tyre burst and rammed into the Toyota Wish which was coming from Zvishavane.

In both accidents, the vehicles were travelling illegally as it is against lockdown regulations to ferry passengers along highways. The vehicles were also pirating as they are not registered under public transport regulations. There were also too many passengers in the vehicles.

Most importantly, the burst tyres in both incidents speak volumes of the condition of the vehicles. They were both unroadworthy.

This is where the police come in.

These unroadworthy, illegally pirating, overloaded vehicles with un-socially distanced sitting are killing our people.

Sadly, some of these cars pass through roadblocks, security check points and Vehicle Inspection Department spot checks.

Corruption cannot be ruled out, but the cost is too high. Too many lives have been lost.

These two accidents should act as a wake-up call for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).

A strategy is needed to deal with the menace of pirate transporters once and for all, and to rid the force of corrupt officers.

We know that our people are desperate to travel, but at what cost? One passenger from Wednesday’s accident said he had come all the way from South Africa.

Mr Isaac Ncube (49), who had a swollen face among other injuries, said he was awakened by screams.

“We left Amakhosi turn in Bulawayo at around 9AM. We drove for about an hour or so, I fell asleep, because I had travelled overnight from Johannesburg, I was tired. I just heard people screaming who were seated in front with the driver. I saw the car turning (over). What happened after that I can’t tell,” he said.

One wonders how pirating vehicles are managing to load passengers at Amakhosi turn. Are there no police nearby or checking the area to ensure compliance to the ban on intercity travel?

After the first accident, which is the worst recorded in the country this year, President Mnangagwa warned pirate commuter operators who are taking advantage of the current intercity travel ban.

President Mnangagwa said it was sad that the country continues to needlessly lose lives through road accidents.

“I urge motorists to avoid speeding and overloading in order to reduce undue accidents. In light of the surging Covid-19 infections and deaths in the current third wave which we seek to contain through the enhanced level four lockdown measures, I appeal to the public to avoid unnecessary travel.

“Pirate commuter operators taking advantage of the current intercity travel ban are severely warned to stop the illegal practice as the full wrath of the law will descend heavily upon them. On behalf of Government, I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and speedy recovery to all those who sustained injuries from this unfortunate accident,” said the President.

The police must certainly play their part of enforcement.

We urge the ZRP to conduct full investigations into how these vehicles made their way into the highways.