The Zimbabwe Passengers Association (ZPA) has urged the government to ban public transport operators who overload their vehicles saying this is contributing to the rise in fatal road accidents.
In a statement on Wednesday, ZPA secretary-general Paul Makiwa also slammed the “culture of impunity” in the transport industry.
He alleged that overloaded vehicles, unlicensed drivers and touts are allowed to operate with impunity, resulting in fatal road traffic accidents. Said Makiwa:
<blockquote>
Our roads have become death traps. Our passengers are dying like flies and those who survive are left with permanent disabilities.
Passengers continue to lose their lives due to the negligence and incompetence of our ministers, who seem to be fast asleep at the wheel.
Our evidence and results prove that their failure to perform their duties is leading to passenger genocide and permanent disabilities.
</blockquote>
Makiwa accused the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Kazembe Kazembe and the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Tapiwa Mhona, of “sleeping on duty”. He said:
<blockquote>
The responsible ministers of Transport and Home Affairs, Felix Mhona and Kazembe Kazembe, must be held accountable for their actions or rather, lack thereof.
Our ministers are sleeping on duty. They are comfortable in their cosy offices while the people they’re supposed to serve are dying on the roads.
</blockquote>
Makiwa alleged that rampant corruption plagues the transport sector, allowing unroadworthy public service vehicles to operate unchecked across the country. He said:
<blockquote>
Our people are being packed like sardines in these overloaded vehicles. What is worse is that there’s no accountability when accidents happen. No one is held responsible.
</blockquote>
Yesterday, Mhona said the recent spate of fatal road traffic accidents, which have claimed over 20 lives, serves as a wake-up call for road users to strictly observe traffic laws.
He urged transporters to join industry associations that will be responsible for fostering self-regulation and compliance among its members through a standard code of conduct focused on road safety.
The call for action came in the wake of a spate of deadly road crashes across the country, which had claimed a total of 26 lives and left 56 others injured in recent days.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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