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Victor Maphosa and Munashe Muchero

Police in Harare and the Central Vehicle Registry (CVR) have embarked on a Smart Policing strategy through the use of technology to arrest offending motorists in the capital’s Central Business District.

 Under the operation, police have started using cameras in the city targeting commuter omnibuses (kombis) and pirate taxis (mushikashikas) who are notorious for breaking road rules and regulations.

At least 110 kombi drivers have so far been arrested since the inception of the operation in December last year.

Acting Harare Provincial Community Relations Liaison Officer Assistant Inspector Webster Dzvova said the operation will continue until all offenders are stopped.

“The aim of this strategy, which we borrowed from the developed nations, is to curb criminal activities by motorists in the CBD and also to try and decongest the town,”’ he said.

“ZRP Harare is partnering with other stakeholders in an endeavour to fight crime. In Harare province, ZRP Avondale partnered with their Crime Consultative Committee in installing CCTV at corner Sam Nujoma Street and Churchill Avenue.

“In Harare’s CBD, we have started taking videos and photographs of offending mushikashikas and kombis. We then forward the information of those kombis to CVR where we will obtain ownership information after which we use the information to track down and arrest the offenders. At least 110 kombi drivers have been arrested to date,” said Assistant  Inspector Dzvova.