By Dennis Ndlovu |Zim GBC News
Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Felix Mhona has reaffirmed the government’s position for bus and haulage truck drivers in an effort to reduce the nation’s high frequency of road accidents, which result in approximately 2,000 fatalities annually.
Answering a question in Parliament, Mhona stated that individuals with new licences would no longer be allowed to operate public transport vehicles right away.
“We are saying you start with Class 4 going upwards, you cannot start with Class 2. For you to drive public transport, buses or commuter buses, you have to be above 30 years,” Mhona said.
He clarified that drivers must now acquire a minimum of one year’s experience with a Class 4 licence before progressing to a Class 2, and two years with a Class 2 before becoming eligible for a Class 1.
This measure, he explained, is intended to guarantee that only mature and seasoned drivers operate public service vehicles, a regulation already implemented in a number of other nations.
Parliamentarians inquired further on road safety, questioning the use of unregistered vehicles on the roads.
Mhona assured the House that government policy mandates all vehicles must be registered and insured prior to use, cautioning that police roadblocks would persist to ensure adherence.
He also disclosed that the price of number plates would shortly be decreased to motivate motorists to register their vehicles.
Marondera Central representative Caston Matewu pushed for the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) to be granted enforcement capabilities.
At present, the agency is perceived by drivers as “toothless,” he said.
Mhona confirmed that arrangements were in progress to transform the TSCZ into a full-fledged agency with the power to penalize reckless drivers.
The minister encouraged drivers to practice personal responsibility on the roads.
“We want mature people to be driving, but that does not mean accidents can be stopped completely. It is up to us as citizens that as we drive on the roads, we be cautious,” he said.
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