THE festive season is upon us.
There will be quite a lot of travelling during the season and it would be good news if we all make it through until the season is over.
Unfortunately, reports of commuter transport operators tampering with speed limiting devices on their vehicles are a bitter pill to swallow.
Statutory Instrument 118 of 2023 states that all public service vehicles are supposed to be fitted with a speed limiting device so that the vehicles do not exceed 100km/hr and they were supposed to have the device by August 1, 2023.
Public transport operators cannot operate like Zimbabwe is the Wild West.
The law enforcement agencies must show that they have teeth.
In fact, those caught on the wrong side of the law must have their operating licences suspended or even cancelled.
Some of them are repeat offenders hence their penalties must be stiffer so that they appreciate that we live in a world guided by laws.
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If we fail to abide by rules and regulations, if we live as if there are no laws, then how different are we from the wild animals in Africa’s untamed jungles.
A bus was recently filmed travelling at over 140 kilometres per hour by Youth Development minister Tinoda Machakaire.
Many other drivers are speeding on our roads, putting the lives of commuters at risk.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said tampering with speed limiting devices was a criminal offence.
“I would like to warn bus operators that the law came into effect through an SI and anyone who is wilfully tampering with the devices is breaking the law and will be punished,” Nyathi said.
Section 17(1)(b) of the Road Motor Transportation Act empowers the Commissioner of Road Transport to suspend an operator’s licence where it appears that there is disregard of the terms and conditions of the licence.
It’s high time the law enforcement agencies showed the nation that they can tame the lawlessness on our roads.
We have lost many a life on our roads and we cannot continue doing so. Kombi operators should also not be spared this festive season.
The major challenge is that there are reports of bigwigs in government, the police, the Central Intelligence Organisation, who are getting kickbacks for shielding some of the transport operators.
Some are reported to be getting as much as US$300 every week as protection fees from one operator.
The law should be applied without fear or favour.
The law has no complexion, knows no race, colour, political affiliation or creed. We also believe it should not know a person's position at their workplace.
This festive season, law enforcement agencies should bare their teeth and ruthlessly fight lawlessness on the roads.
We implore all road users to call the drivers out when they seem to be getting over-excited.
We also implore the drivers to respect the lives of passengers and ensure they reach their destinations safe and sound.
We cannot risk losing life and limb all because of drunk motorists, hence we implore all motorists to stay away from the brown bottle as long as they are behind the steering wheel.
We also urge all motorists to have their vehicles checked for any defects and repairs be done.
As the saying goes: “Road sense is the offspring of courtesy and the parent of safety”.
So “safety first is safety always” and all motorists should know that “accidents don’t happen, they are caused”.
Let us keep it safe on the roads this festive season.
