Bus operator Rimbi Tours has ken government to court over the suspension imposed on them over the Harare-Nyamapanda road accident.
The fatal crash, which was caused by reckless driving by the Rimbi and Zebra Kiss bus drivers, claimed the life of one while several passengers were injured.
The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Felix Mhona, suspended the operating licenses of both operators last week but revealed today that Rimbi have decided to take the legal route.
Addressing delegates at the Road Safety Indaba at Cresta Lodge this morning, Mhona said:
The bus company known as Rimbi Tours has decided to approach the administrative courts and its within their rights. But the question that I raise was; for us it was a suspension —we were not revoking the license and our terms and what we highlighted on the suspension, the issues were very clear.
It was a matter of compliance, checking, realigning and we thought maybe since this was something which was a major concern to the public., we were supposed to move with speed and try to align.
The good thing about a suspension is it can be 24 hours or 48 hours but the assumption from the Ministry was that the operator would sit and reason together with the Ministry but they have decided to take the approach of approaching the courts. The matter is now seized with the courts.
The other operator—Zebra Kiss, has decided to approach the Ministry from a holistic perspective also taking charge and saying “we are responsible, we are also to blame, we need and appeal to the Ministry so that we take corrective measures”, of which they did.
Government has since lifted the Zebra Kiss suspension.