30 December 2021
Prosperity Sikhosana
As the festive draws to a close, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Bulawayo has issued a statement warning the public against lawlessness.
The statement was issued by Bulawayo Provincial Press and Liaison Officer Inspector Abednico Ncube as the ZRP has been receiving rather various criminal cases since the beginning of the festive season this December.
Inspector Ncube said:
“We are into the end of the year 2021 and as ZRP Bulawayo, we want to urge members of the public to follow the law, to follow World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines interms of Covid-19.”
Ncube encouraged the public to do as per the government directives as categorically stated that they should not be moving around after the curfew 9pm to 6am.
In this light, he stated he does not expect to find any motor vehicles or individuals moving in the Central Business District on the 31st of December.
This is the time that most people call or term “crossover.”
The period is often characterised by people moving about going to parties, drinking and driving even beyond curfew thus causing accident cases.
Inspector Ncube also raised concern as the period has been fraught with rape cases.
He noted:
“I want also to appeal to our members of the public because during this time and for the past week I have noticed an increase in the number of rape cases emanating from our women who are boarding Honda Fits, unregistered vehicles as transport and are getting raped along the way.”
These unregistered transporters Insp. Ncube noted are usually used by the public as Zupco buses and kombis are relatively few on the road.
With that being the case, many cases of rape, robbery have been reported to the police.
“Let us avoid such motor vehicles, we have been warning people, carrying some awareness campaigns to say let us desist from using vehicles that are not public service motor vehicles because its very difficult to trace or account for once they commit offences,” noted Inspector Abednico Ncube.
Thus for the police to curb such cases, Insp. Ncube has warned that anyone seen driving after the period 9PM to 6AM will be arrested for contravention sections of the law and have his motor vehicle impounded.
“The roads will be cleared for the public from the curfew period. There will be road blocks on the main roads.”
When asked where the police was, during the South African Big Zulu performance on the 27th this month, Ncube noted that the ZRP tried to stop show.
However it becomes impossible (to enforce law) as he currently has “only seven officers” in his station.
Despite a stern warning from Inspector Ncube’s boss Commissioner Godwin Matanga of arrests on all drinking spots, clubs and curfew law breakers, in Bulawayo it was business as usual.
As noted, the Big Zulu show proceeded without any hinderence from the Police, there was another chance of ‘Crossover’ Christmas eve party in Makokoba suburb, this again attracted a large contingent of revellers ahead despite the threat of the fast transmissible Omicron variant.
The police were a no show.
In the CBD, movement was not restricted as police patrols minded their own business and let revellers be.
Zim GBC News joins the ZRP to urge the citizens of Bulawayo and its visitors to celebrate the coming year responsibly.
“Stay at home, celebrate with family. No parties, ‘pungwes’ and all night prayers. Curfew is real. Covid is real,” warned Inspector Ncube.
Zim GBC News