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Trust Freddy-Herald Correspondent

More than 2 000 people die annually on Zimbabwe’s roads, according to the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, with medical costs now reaching US$406 million a year.

In Zimbabwe, a road traffic crash occurs every 15 minutes on average and this results in about five people being killed, while about 38 people are injured every single day on the country’s roads.

According to a recent Zimbabwe Statistical Agency report, at least 604 people died while 2 624 were injured out of the 12 564 road traffic accidents recorded in the third quarter of 2023.

Last year alone, 2 099 lives were lost.

Sadly, according to the Traffic Safety Council’s 2018 study, 94 percent of road accidents are due to human error, rather than vehicle defects (5 percent) or road environment (1 percent).

This means virtually all accidents are caused by human error: speeding, reckless driving, driving while using the phone and driving under the influence of alcohol, among others.

Recently the United Nations special envoy, Mr Jean Todt was in the country to advocate for effective implementation of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, which seeks to halve the number of road traffic fatalities and injuries by 2030.

Speaking soon after paying a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa Mr Todt said: “I concluded a visit to Zimbabwe after I had a long discussion with the Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister (Felix Mhona) and other Government Ministers and I rounded off my visit with an engagement with the President of the country. It has been a very inspiring discussion where we discussed this silent pandemic which has to be dealt with,” he said.

The latest crash involving public transport occurred when a kombi allegedly turned right into the lane of an oncoming fuel tanker on Thursday morning in Kuwadzana along Bulawayo Road.

Kombi drivers, driven by the need to meet the US$100 daily target, frequently disregard passenger complaints and engage in reckless driving resulting in accidents.  Most drivers are on a daily contract, in effect renting the vehicle and only making money once that rent and the fuel have been paid for. Bus drivers are usually on salary, so are under far less pressure to break laws.

The targets, deemed unrealistic due to the surge in vehicles, often require drivers to make 10 trips per day to earn US$100, compelling them to force their way through congested roads in order to meet the target.

With the vehicle population having risen from 800 000 in 2011 to 1 484 517 as of March 2023, there has also been a concomitant increase in human errors.

As news of the latest accident spread on social media, a heated debate ensued, with a majority wanting to see far better enforcement of road laws and kombi drivers in particular made to drive properly.

“It’s a selfish elitist idea to ban kombis,” Paul Muchemwa said. “The drivers need to be vetted and regulated, heavy fines must be imposed on reckless drivers or a suspension on that particular driver.

“Getting rid of kombis without a metro (transport) system or enough buses to carry ordinary Zimbabweans to work is a very selfish idea.”

Another resident, Tanaka Mubaiwa said advocating for an immediate ban without a viable alternative is misguided.

“While the idea may seem appealing, banning kombis will only create more chaos for commuters,” Mubaiwa said.

“Instead, we should focus on buying more buses and imposing heavy penalties as an immediate solution. Calling for a ban without a backup plan would leave commuters stranded, especially during this rainy season”.

“This will address the issue while we await the arrival of new buses, which can take months to be shipped to Zimbabwe.”

Another concerned citizen, Ashley Hove urged practicality in addressing the kombi issue. “Long-term solutions like buses and trains are welcome, but immediate enforcement by police is crucial,” she said.

“Demanding an instant kombi ban, expecting trains and buses to materialise overnight, is unrealistic. It ignores the daily struggles of commuters while catering for private car owners who want uninterrupted road use.”

However, some thought a kombi ban would open the business for buses and trains.

Lawyer Tino Chinyoka said: “If you ban kombis it becomes profitable to run buses and trains. Those running kombis can even invest in buses. At the moment buses have no chance to compete with the organised chaos of kombis and mishikashika.”

Biggy Mhanda said: “Kombis must be removed from Zimbabwe’s roads. Kombis are a nuisance not only in Zimbabwe. The best way to deal with them is to ban them. Replacement of drivers will not work. That should however not be done abruptly. They should be given a time frame within which to phase out or form cooperatives and buy bigger buses. “

In 2020, the Government temporarily banned privately owned kombis to combat COVID-19, exempting only those operating under the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company franchise.

A permanent ban was considered, but it was eventually lifted in 2022 following appeals from transport operators who had struggled financially during the hiatus and the return to normal work of vast numbers of people who needed transport.

Zupco was also unable to manage and organise the kombi fleet.

Government’s efforts to tackle the transport crisis are continuing, as multiple ministries are reportedly developing a comprehensive, long-term solution.

Speaking during a question and answer session in Parliament this Wednesday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona acknowledged the problem saying plans were underway to import more buses and introduce small trains.

“Madam Speaker, if we do not have enough transport, we will find that most people just board any (form of) transport, especially for the urban transport system which is the responsibility of (the Ministry of) Local Government,” he said.

“We are going to work together as three Ministries to make sure that we are going to have more buses which ferry more people so that when people are moving from one place to another, they are going to use registered transport. We are also going to use small trains to ferry people. That is what we are going to work on as Government.”

The owner of the kombi which was involved in the accident in Kuwadzana belonged to the Greater Harare Association of Commuter Omnibus Operators (GHACOO).

Ironically, kombis affiliated to associations are generally better behaved since owners are expected to ensure their drivers follow basic rules.

When contacted for comment, GHACOO Secretary-General, Mr Ngoni Katsvairo, expressed his condolences to the families.