The directive has caused consternation among public transport operators in Bulawayo with many vowing to resist the move, although some members of the public have welcomed it. Police have warned owners and drivers that they risk being arrested if found transporting the public in any of the prohibited vehicles.
“The police cannot just ban the vehicles without a supporting statutory instrument. I have a valid operators licence and there is no way the police have the authority to arrest me when my papers are in order. Laws are not made in newspapers,” said Langton Mandebvu, who regularly plies the Bulawayo-Gwanda route.
If the police insist on the ban, operators will approach the courts. “What the police are doing is illegal. All the relevant arms of government including the council and the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) have approved and certified these vehicles as roadworthy,” said Mandebvu, adding that his family depended on the income from his transport service, which he had been operating since 2009.
Another operator, Jethro Moyo, said it was wrong to blame the vehicles for the accidents. “For many years, this country has long had a record of serious road traffic accidents, even when we were using conventional coaches. An accident is an accident. Much depends on the behaviour of the driver,” said Moyo. “We know that most of these vehicles are owned by big chefs and police officers. We are closely watching to see if these people will be affected by the ban as well,” he added.
Commuters who applauded the ban said the vehicles were not designed to be used as public transport. Although equipped to carry only six people, often as many as 15 people are packed into them.
“Many of the accidents these vehicles are involved in occur as a result of burst tyres caused by overloading, and they should be banned from our roads as a means of public transport,” said Monica Hebede. She also claimed that the vehicles have been linked to armed robbery and kidnapping.
Transport Minister Obert Mpofu maintained he was not aware of the ban on the vehicles.
Post published in: Business