15 January 2022
Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
The T-junction located soon after the curve when one has crossed the railway line into the vast Cowdray Park suburb has become a black spot to motorists.
The T-junction is referred as “I turn off yama 4”.
Last night around 2200 hours a Kombi and Toyota Mark X were involved in an accident at the said T-junction.
Luckily there were no casualties but minor injuries to the Kombi driver.
The driver of the smaller vehicle refused to narrate the details of the accident but the Kombi driver went on a tirade as to the negligent driving by the Mark X driver that resulted in the accident.
The young Kombi driver was at pains explaining that the other driver, coming from the direction of the rail line took the curve at high speed and his headlights were flashing opposite traffic.
He was speeding.
“Ubuye ephapha, engadimanga amalights akhe. Vele uthe efika ekhoneni wangena phakathi kwami leKhombi ekade iphambi kwami.”
He was speeding with his lights on bright, flashing oncoming traffic. When he approached the T-junction he did not give way but drove through a vehicle that was ahead of me and my vehicle.
It is commendable that the Zimbabwe Republic Police, ZRP, from Luveve police station arrived timeously on the scene but it is their conduct or lack of it that they proferred last night.
This reporter having introduced himself to one Constable P. Ncube, and shown his journalist credentials was harassed by a fellow Constable on the scene who guarded his name jealously.
Qouting his words,
“Heyi iwe uriani urikutora maphoto, ibvapo”.
Hey, who are you taking those photos, go away
As stated, this reporter had introduced self to Const. Ncube, who inturn referred to the reigning officer on the scene, a lady sergeant who too was not forthcoming with her name.
Instead of acknowledging that she was told of the presence of this journalist she said,
“Kudala uthethe amaphotos, yindaba ungakahambi?”
It’s been sometime since you began taking photos, why are you still here?
The Constable who refrained with his name went to lengths in trying to impress this journalist that he was interfering with their job.
“Watora kudhara maphotos ako, manje zvawakutaura nevanhu, wakudei?”
Now that you have your photos why are you speaking with people
Even after being told that the pictures go hand in hand with a story, thus witnesses to the accident had to be interviewed, he was adamant that this journalist leave the scene.
Another onlooker was harassed by the Constable and accused of being a would be thief as he approached the smaller sedan that had been knocked into a drainage spillway.
“Iwe ibvapo, urikudei, urikutsvagei ipapo, asi oda kuba!”
Hey you, move away from there, what are you looking for, you want to steal.
What was interesting is that the lady sergeant, the unnamed constable together with the other driver of the smaller vehicle were standing in a secluded and dark spot away from everyone else.
The onlooker was brave enough to explain that in any accident he checks the vehicles to ensure that there are no relatives of his injured. He also enquires as to why the police were grouped in darkness away from the light.
The manner in which police officers conduct themselves is unprofessional and lacks respect of the forth estate and the general public.
The use of such words as IWE! IWE! is derogatory.
It is high time that the Zimbabwe Police officers are ingrained with the Public Relations procedures so that there be cohesion with the general public at large as well as other tenets from different establishments while carrying out their duties.