The hour of reckoning is nigh

23 Jan, 2022 - 00:01 0 Views
The hour of reckoning is nigh

The Sunday Mail

Victoria Ruzvidzo

January is turning out to be a very active month in which the Government and its arms have decided to start the year on a clean slate in terms of regularising the way business is done at most public institutions and economy-wide.

It is indeed about time. The gross indiscipline in the economy and unethical conduct in some institutions has brought serious disorder that needs to be nipped. These forces have been compromising efforts to achieve Vision 2030 and can thus not be tolerated any further.

We applaud the Government for taking such a bold stance that should send a strong message to those that have been fomenting such errant behaviour.

Over the past week we have witnessed a blitz on unregistered and unlicensed motor vehicles that have been criss-crossing our roads with reckless abandon, a number of them being used to commit heinous crimes, inspired by the absence of identification in the form of number plates and records at the Central Vehicle Registry.

Illegal private schools that have mushroomed countrywide offering lessons, in some instances substandard, from ECD to Advanced Level have also had their hour of reckoning as the Government moves in to restore sanity.

Public transporters that do not provide bins thus encouraging littering, have also been caught up in the swoop. It is no longer business as usual.

It all started with the destruction of illegal vending stalls and tuck-shops in Mbare as authorities moved in to effect regulations that vending should take place at designated sites. The illegal operations were causing chaos and were conduits of crime and drug peddling according to investigations, among other shenanigans.

We applaud the launch of this wave, and we are sure many in other institutions and sectors who know very well that they have thrown decency out of the window are quaking in their shoes. The Ides of January are come indeed and there is no relenting.

Rot of amazing proportions has unfortunately crept into a number of public institutions where officers demand oiling of hands to provide a service for which they are already on a payroll for. One must pay an extra “incentive” to access a services ahead of others. No payment no deal.

A flagrant disregard of laws and regulations has become commonplace as long as one can pay a bribe. One can even build a house in the middle of a road or at any other undesignated point as long as money has exchanged hands.

Anything and everything is within reach to those that have deep pockets. The scripture that says “Money Answereth All” has been grossly abused in such instances. One can make you jump the queue, access a service or product you do not qualify for or give you a certain status as long as you have dollar power.

It has almost become absurd to access services in some public institutions without being made to pay a bribe because it has become the norm rather than the exception to pay a bribe for most services across the economy.

This scenario is quite ugly from many fronts. It prejudices the Government of billions of dollars annually in revenue, it creates gross inefficiencies and compromises productivity as officers decidedly work in cases where a bribe has been paid while sitting on work submitted without any “cut”.

This is sad and can surely not be tolerated any longer. It is unfortunate that Zimbabwe has been featuring prominently where examples of countries with high bribery instances have been mentioned. The system is widespread, but such clampdowns as is happening now will yield results and bring back the normal, neat and efficient way of doing things.

We report that at least 11 000 motorists have been arrested for failing to meet the basic registration and licensing requirements. And already the blitz has exposed corruption at CVR that was creating artificial shortages of number plates which were being accessed by those that pay bribes.

We are pleased the police has really been at work while the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has moved in swiftly to investigate alleged corruption at CVR.

Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Felix Mhona has been reading the riot act on the strict orders of President Mnangagwa. Results so far show this is working.

“We do not want the people of Zimbabwe to continue losing their money because of corrupt tendencies. Corruption has no place in the Second Republic. We are going to clean the rot at CVR and bring a new work ethic at the institution. No one should struggle to acquire number plates,” said Mr Mhona on Tuesday.

“So it calls for the issues to do with patriotism at the end of the day. Whenever you come to work, do your best so that we don’t inconvenience the people of Zimbabwe.”

Indeed this is as it should be.

In the schools saga, at least 400 primary and secondary schools in Harare alone have been operating illegally, compromising standards and increasing fees without Government authorisation.

The Education Act states that all private schools should be registered with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education which should also periodically inspect the schools for compliance with set guidelines and adherence to the national curriculum although they can add extra subjects.

Harare Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Mr Tafadzwa Muguti said this would soon be a thing of the past.

It is critical that such deviant schools be regularised or closed down where necessary to ensure Zimbabwe maintains the high standard of education it is globally renowned for.

Schools have become lucrative businesses for many, some of whom are charging exorbitant fees that parents have to endure in their desire to give a good education to their children. While we appreciate that private schools are necessary in bridging the gap because Government cannot do it all, this must happen using proper channels and standards.

Every discerning parent must also be wary of those out to make a killing without providing the quality education that the parents aspire for.  The allure of the dollar must not compromise the services given to the pupils and their parents and guardians.

We encourage similar exercises in other provinces so that everyone comes into the fold. Education cannot be compromised. It forms the foundation of our children’s lives.

In the vendors’ case, we have already seen many trooping back to the very sites that were destroyed recently. While some quarters argue that the informal traders are seeking to eke a living, we feel they could still do that at designated spots so that order prevails.

We encourage authorities to expedite establishment of legal sites so that the cat and mouse game between them and the vendors is reduced. This has been going on for a while in Mbare as defiant vendors always troop back a few days after they are chased away. This creates an unnecessary animosity between the two.

Indeed the clampdown on illegal and unethical conduct is yielding great results and must be extended to all those quote on the wrong side of the law. Too many challenges emanate from such behaviour in a country where more effort and energy should be directed towards building it.

Any such destructive tendencies need to be resisted and dealt with decisively as we march towards Vision 2030.

In God I Trust!

 

 Twitter handle: @VictoriaRuzvid2; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; WhatsApp number: 0772 129 992.

 

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