News / National
No retests for all Zimbabwean drivers as yet: Goche
06 Oct 2011 at 04:51hrs | Views
THERE will not be any retests for all drivers as yet, Government has said. Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche told a Press conference on Tuesday that Government was, in fact, seized with issues related to fake certificates of competency.
"In all honesty, Government hasn't discussed the need to retest all drivers," said Goche.
"We know that there is rampant corruption at VID depots and we suspended so many people when I came into office.
"What is happening now is that those who acquired these (fake) licences are already in the process of returning them because they are known.
"Those who want to go to court over it, we will meet there."
His comments are set to calm the nerves of drivers who dreaded hassles associated with such a move.
The ministry's permanent secretary Mr Partson Mbiriri recently told stakeholders at a workshop that Government was working on ways to enable the Vehicle Inspection Department to extend retesting and periodic inspection to all motorists.
Mr Mbiriri said the move was aimed at assessing competency and flush out those who fraudulently acquired drivers' licences. But Goche said the Government was practically reclaiming fraudulently-acquired licences.
He said there was general concern in Government that most accidents were caused by drivers' recklessness and ignorance of traffic regulations.
Police are investigating a fake driver's licence racket involving hundreds of motorists.
The difference between a genuine and fake waiting pass for a certificate of competency is that the authentic one has a watermark and three VID official stamps, while the counterfeit may have just one stamp and no watermark.
A genuine certificate of competency also has the name and signature of the examiner and a signature of the issuing officer in charge of the depot where it was issued.
Goche said the Government wanted to make it illegal for commuter omnibuses to have carriers.
He said Government realised that loading on top of the omnibus affected the balance of the vehicle.
Government, Goche said, will only allow long distance buses to have carriers.
"In all honesty, Government hasn't discussed the need to retest all drivers," said Goche.
"We know that there is rampant corruption at VID depots and we suspended so many people when I came into office.
"What is happening now is that those who acquired these (fake) licences are already in the process of returning them because they are known.
"Those who want to go to court over it, we will meet there."
His comments are set to calm the nerves of drivers who dreaded hassles associated with such a move.
The ministry's permanent secretary Mr Partson Mbiriri recently told stakeholders at a workshop that Government was working on ways to enable the Vehicle Inspection Department to extend retesting and periodic inspection to all motorists.
Mr Mbiriri said the move was aimed at assessing competency and flush out those who fraudulently acquired drivers' licences. But Goche said the Government was practically reclaiming fraudulently-acquired licences.
He said there was general concern in Government that most accidents were caused by drivers' recklessness and ignorance of traffic regulations.
Police are investigating a fake driver's licence racket involving hundreds of motorists.
The difference between a genuine and fake waiting pass for a certificate of competency is that the authentic one has a watermark and three VID official stamps, while the counterfeit may have just one stamp and no watermark.
A genuine certificate of competency also has the name and signature of the examiner and a signature of the issuing officer in charge of the depot where it was issued.
Goche said the Government wanted to make it illegal for commuter omnibuses to have carriers.
He said Government realised that loading on top of the omnibus affected the balance of the vehicle.
Government, Goche said, will only allow long distance buses to have carriers.
Source - TH
