Free lessons for Zimbabwe journalists

THE Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) is working on a deal with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) that would see journalists and other media workers across the country getting free driving lessons.

ZUJ met with TSCZ managing director Obio Chinyere on Monday. Secretary-general Foster Dongozi said the development was in line with various activities that the union is conducting to improve the safety of journalists and media workers.

"The union is involved in a number of activities that seek to improve the safety of journalists and it is our belief that this programme will add value in our quest for a safer working environment for journalists.

"We have lost a number of colleagues and comrades to road traffic accidents and we hope the partnership will result in a reduction of the carnage on the roads," Dongozi said.

Chronicle business editor Mernat Mafirakureva was recently killed in an accident when his car collided head-on with a South Africa-bound bus in Beatrice along the Harare-Masvingo Highway. Chinyere said the traffic regulatory body was extending the gesture to journalists as part of efforts to raise safety awareness for the public and journalists.

He added that the TSCZ had previously engaged the media through the Road Safety Journalistic Award and wanted to extend the partnership through engaging journalists in policy formulation.

"We believe the media has a role to play, especially on raising awareness on our road safety programmes, and we are happy to offer journalists defensive driving and learner's licence lessons free of charge," he said.

"The defensive driving course includes theoretical and practical lessons, while the learner's licence will unpack the Highway Code for participants to gain an understanding of road traffic rules and regulations."