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Chief Supt Nyathi

Freeman Razemba Crime Reporter
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has threatened to bring back metal spikes in Harare following an increase in the number of errant motorists who refuse to stop at roadblocks and checkpoints when ordered to do so by traffic officers.

Unruly motorists, police said, were taking advantage of the lack of tyre deflating devices at roadblocks to frustrate law enforcement.

Last month police officers were stopped from indiscriminate use of metal spikes on vehicles as new measures were being introduced to deal with errant drivers on the country’s roads.

In a statement, national police spokesman Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said a number of motorists were now violating traffic rules and regulations.

“The police has also noted that there is a small clique of unruly motorists who are not stopping at law enforcement checkpoints,” said Chief Sup Nyathi.

“They pass through red robots, cut corners at road junctions and intersections and in the process cause chaos in the central business district by flouting road rules and regulations,” he said.

“This conduct must stop forthwith. Errant motorists should not cry foul if they are arrested. Police will make use of spikes to stop these dangerous motorists if this bad conduct continues,” he said.

The use of spikes had attracted intense criticism from motorists who felt there were better methods for modern policing traffic and dealing with offenders besides the use of tyre deflating metal spikes.