Police defend use of spikes

Bulawayo police have have defended the actions of some traffic officers who spiked a commuter omnibus resulting in it overturning and injuring 16 passengers, saying "the spikes have been in use in their operations since time immemorial."
There has been wide spread safety concerns by commuters over the police's use of spikes on evasive commuter omnibus drivers, with the Wednesday's case nearly costing 16 lives.
In an interview Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo said spikes are used by traffic police the world over to deter evasive traffic offenders.
"The spikes are used in situations where drivers are deserting the police, for whatever offence there would have committed," said Insp Moyo.
He said most commuters omnibus operators remove number plates from their vehicles, hence making it cumbersome to trace them, once they evade the police.
"Some of them have no number plates and this makes it impossible for us to trace these offenders," said Insp Moyo.
He said such unsafe measures can be avoided if the drivers can behave themselves.
"If drivers conduct themselves well passengers' safety will be guaranteed," said Insp Moyo.
On the fateful day of the accident, 16 commuters were seriously injured and were taken to Mpilo Hospital, where four were admitted considering the critical condition of the injuries.
It is also alleged the police were thoroughly beaten after the accident by members of the public.
Initially, the kombi was using Luveve road but switched routes attempting to avoid the police.
Its alleged the driver of the kombi did so not wanting to part with a bribe but unfortunately the police threw spikes onto the road, to stop him resulting in the driver losing control of the vehicle.
Radio Dialogue spoke to one of the victims, Nokuthula Mabhena, one of those who were critically injured. She was visibly in pain but put up a brave front.
Her whole right arm sustained deep cuts, the skin was bruised and peeling off, shards of glass were still inside the wounds while parts of her dress were torn.
She also had a deep wound on her right forehead and was bleeding profusely.
Mabhena narrated the incident saying the kombi was plying into town from Lobengula but switched routes after spotting police which resulted in it using the Khami road but police there threw spikes and the vehicle overturned.
She could not remember much as she fell unconscious.