Cops' continued use of spikes angers kombi operator

A BULAWAYO commuter omnibus operator Sikhathazile Dhlodhlo has castigated the police for their continued use of the tyre-shredding spikes at the expense of human lives and property.

At a time when many commuter omnibus operators are afraid of openly denouncing the use of the tyre-shredding spikes for fear of victimisation by the police, Dhlodhlo, a female operator in the predominantly male industry, has come out to condemn such acts.

Dhlodhlo, who operates "I am the good Shepard" commuter omnibuses, said she was lucky to still have one of her commuter omnibuses intact and bloodless after traffic police a week ago threw tyre-shredding spikes at her commuter omnibus along Fort Street near Nust Library around 11:45AM.

"Besides losing business for nearly two hours after the near fatal incident, I was forced to folk out $160 for a brand new tyre to replace the one that had been deflated by the spikes thrown at my vehicle by the police," said the angry businesswoman in an interview with the Chronicle .

Dhlodhlo said she received a phone call from her driver at 11:45AM and to her utter amazement, she learnt that her commuter omnibus had been spiked.

"I rushed to the scene and the passengers had already disembarked and gone away. Since we did not want to cause traffic congestion, we pushed the commuter omnibus out of the road," she said.

On questioning her driver what had transpired, Dhlodhlo said she heard that the traffic officer just appeared on the side of the road and threw the spikes in the way of the commuter omnibus.



"The driver told me that there was another vehicle in front of him and there was no way he was going to drive off and evade arrest if there was need for it. He also told me that he had dropped off a passenger near TM Hyper toilet - a move that might have warranted police action but not the use of tyre-shredding spikes," said Dhlodhlo.

She said they then went to Drill Hall to look for the officers who had thrown the tyre-shredding spikes.

"One of the officers approached us and apologised. He said the person to blame was his junior who had acted outside instruction," she said.

Dhlodhlo said Bulawayo was a small city and the police could locate drivers who break the law easily.

"I am not saying that the police should not arrest drivers who break the law . . .  No, what I am saying is that the police should also consider the value of human life and property. The drivers who break the law should be arrested and taken to court if need be but the use of spikes is just wrong," she said.

Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo of Bulawayo police said his office was still to get a report from the traffic section.

Contacted for comment, National Traffic Police spokesperson, Inspector Chigome lashed out at the Chronicle for allegedly "inciting members of the public" to act violently against the police.

"You reporters at the Chronicle are inciting violence against the police by the members of the public through the way you have been reporting about this issue. You are blowing this out of proportion. You are making the public view the police as animals and it becomes difficult to give you stories," he said.

Three weeks ago, police were forced to defend their tactics after a commuter omnibus fleeing a roadblock overturned as the driver swerved to avoid tyre-shredding spikes deployed by a traffic officer.

Sixteen passengers were injured, four of them seriously, in the accident along Old Khami Road in Bulawayo.

Spike strips, also known as stingers, are used by police forces worldwide to immobilise vehicles by puncturing tyres.

The stinger is composed of a collection of metal barbs or spikes pointing upward. Some police forces use hollow barbs which become embedded in the tyres and allow air to escape steadily in a bid to avoid a sudden flattening of tyres which can increase the risk of drivers crashing.