The Sunday Mail
Ray Bande
Mutare Bureau
Five people are killed in road traffic accidents every day, while 24 others are injured, with most of the crashes occurring along the Harare-Mutare and the Chirundu-Harare-Beitbridge highways, a Cabinet minister has said.
Speaking during the launch of the festive season road safety awareness campaign in Mutare, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said the high incidence of deaths on the country’s roads was disturbing.
“On average, more than 2 000 people die on Zimbabwean roads annually, while about 8 600 are injured,” he said.
“This sadly translates to losing 150 lives per month or five deaths and 24 people being injured daily on our roads.
“I believe time has come for us to collectively put a stop to this disturbing trend.
“We are here to remind all our road users, in the strongest of terms, that the honeymoon is over for unbecoming behaviour on our roads.
“The deaths we have continued to witness on our roads, especially the Harare-Mutare and the Chirundu–Harare–Beitbridge highways are not only disturbing, but too high and, hence, cannot be tolerated any longer.”
Minister Mhona warned public transport operators against overloading, saying those found on the wrong side of the law will be fined.
“I call upon the Zimbabwe Republic Police and VID (Vehicle Inspection Department) to strictly ensure that there is no overloading of vehicles and only vehicles fit, authorised and certified should carry passengers on our roads this festive season.
“Overloading will not be tolerated and those found transgressing will be ticketed and their passengers asked to disembark and find alternative transport,” he added.
He urged the public to be responsible for their own safety during the festive season and beyond. Minister Mhona bemoaned the reckless driving on city roads.
As part of the launch of the festive season road safety awareness campaign, the minister handed over a consignment of blankets and bedsheets to the Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital in Mutare, which were sourced by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe.
The international humanitarian organisation, Red Cross Society, also donated toiletries and menstrual hygiene products to the hospital.
