The Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) has reportedly fired 40 drivers after it had emerged that they had no driver’s licence.
The development was reported by Zim Morning Post, a local publication which indicated however that the Zupco chief executive Evaristo Madangwa could neither confirm nor deny the development, he told this publication that he was in a meeting. An unnamed source to the publication reportedly said:
Zupco now wants drivers with five year experience yet those they said are unqualified have been carrying passengers all along with no licences.
The alleged development follows a spate of accidents involving ZUPCO buses prompting many to qua=estion the roadworthiness of the buses and the competency of drivers.
Some, however, attributed the accidents to the state of local roads which they describe as death traps. Zim Morning Post adds that there are reports suggesting that there is massive corruption in the company which resulted in 42 buses and commuter omnibuses failing a physical fitness test conducted by the Vehicle Inspection department in December last year.
More: Zim Morning Post