Zimbabwe transporters to fit speed limiting and monitoring devices

Bus operators and other public service vehicle operators have welcomed the Statutory Instrument 118 of 2023 instituted by Government last week that compels them to be fitted with speed limiting and monitoring devices.

According to Statutory Instrument 118 of 2023 all public service vehicles shall be fitted with a speed limiting device so that such vehicles will not exceed 100km/h.

The new regulations were gazetted by Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Felix Mhona last week.

This, is expected to ensure speeding by drivers is curtailed and consequently saving lives with the police having already been capacitated to ensure strict compliance.

Zimbabwe Passenger Transporters Organisation (ZPTO) chairman Dr Sam Nanhanga welcomed the development saying ZPTO was prepared to work together with the police to ensure compliance of rules and regulations.

"I think as far as the SI is concerned it's a good move by Government and we really appreciate it, it was long overdue. It is going to address some of the challenges and ensure road safety since many accidents are being caused by speeding drivers ," he said.

Dr Nanhanga said already, more than 90 percent of buses under the association's purview had been fitted with tracking surveillance.

"Before this SI was put in place as an association we were working hand-in-glove with ZRP and Zimbabwe Traffic Safety Council to reduce road carnage. Up to today about 99 percent of our buses are under surveillance under fleet management so we thought that was the best tool.

"The tracking shows what is happening there and then and you are able to download the actual speed of the bus for as far back as seven days before," he said.

The safety of passengers, said Dr Nanhanga, was of utmost importance hence a toll-free centre was going to be established with the end result of ensuring bus operators comply with Government's directives.

"We are going to have a toll free centre because buses have direct competition so that is what is causing over speeding by buses so if we establish that office together with the speed monitoring we will achieve what we want to achieve.

"The mandate of the association is to promote safety on the roads that is the reason we were established," he said.

Chairman of the Transport Operators Association of Zimbabwe (TOAZ) and also Chairman NYC Transport Operating Industry (NECTOI) Mr Albert Bere pressed on the importance of enforcement of laws.

"This move was long overdue and we hope it will help bring sanity on our roads and the laws need to be enforced to make them effective. In a nutshell, we applaud Government for this move and we encourage all our members and everyone else affected by this to comply with the directive," he said.

Greater Harare Association for Commuter Omnibus Operators (GHACO) Mr Ngoni Katsvairo said there was need for effective implementation of laid down laws by the authorities.

"While more laws are put in place for the formal public service vehicles (buses or kombis) they need to be complemented with effective enforcement on mushikashika and pirate taxis.

"If you check the operations happening in Harare CBD there are a lot of kumushikashika and pirates which are operating illegally freely while legal kombis operating from designated ranks are detained for up to seven days for minor offences.

"There is need for enforcement to encourage compliance and order on our roads," he said.

Government through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has been working flat out in making sure road traffic standards are raised in line also with international standards

Last week, Government finally launched the new standard plastic driver's licence linked to a database that will replace the metal licences. The new Zimbabwean licence meets the international standards of SADC, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community and removing the retest policy.

Mr Katsvairo said he was optimistic these new policies will help the transport sector.

"On our side as GHACO we just want to thank the Government for the listening eye on reducing the cost of as well as the easy doing business that has been brought about by the removal of retest.

"The cost of doing retest was not corresponding to the value addition on reducing road accidents as done when one undergoes the DDC and health checks. We urge the ministry to go a step further and make DDC as well as health checks compulsory for all drivers at the point of getting their first licence as well as on 5-year renewals,'' said Mr Katsvairo.