Online Reporter
Crime Reporter
The ongoing police safety operation targets anyone who poses a danger to other motorists by causing congestion, picking up and dropping passengers at undesignated points, creating imaginary lanes, or driving the wrong way down a one-way street.
Also targeted are those operating as public service vehicles, generally unregistered kombis and mushikashika, who do not have relevant permits, route authority and vehicle fitness certificates, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said.
The crackdown has seen the mushikashika and those kombis that are not fully registered or compliant, and without registered routes, diverting to little-used side roads instead of the main roads to avoid the police checks.
The compliant kombis, whose owners usually belong to the major associations that have been working to clean up the business, use the correct routes and drive through the check points with little delay after the police check the required paperwork that the drivers usually have on their dashboards.
The police’s sentiments come after several comments on social media by members of the public about the operation code-named: “No to mushikashika, pirate taxis and lawlessness on the roads.”
In a statement, national police spokesperson Commissioner Nyathi said: “The Zimbabwe Republic Police notes and appreciates the varied comments on social media by the public and interested groups on the operation. In this regard, the police implore all motorists to be law-abiding citizens by exhibiting good driving conduct on the roads.
“The current operation will target everybody who is posing as a danger to other innocent motorists by causing congestion, picking up and dropping passengers at undesignated points, creating imaginary lanes, driving against the flow of traffic (one-way) and those operating as public service vehicles but they do not have relevant permits, route authority and vehicle fitness.”
He said the police were aware that some kombi operators and crew have removed the official registration number plates, the red numbers on white plates, and are now operating with ordinary black-on-yellow registration number plates, while playing hide and seek with law enforcement officers.
“The police will therefore arrest anyone engaged in reckless driving conduct irrespective of the fact that one is driving a company vehicle, family vehicle or public service vehicle. The law is the law. Let us all comply for the effective maintenance of law and order in the country and road safety.
“In the same vein, those motorists who will try to bribe Zimbabwe Republic Police members will face stern action,” Comm Nyathi said.
He said transporters or public service vehicle operators should ensure that their drivers follow the law and are exemplary on the roads.
“All in all, no one will be arrested or inconvenienced by the police as long as one is driving properly and following the country’s road rules and regulations.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police reiterates that all Zimbabweans should cooperate with police officers deployed for this operation to promote road safety for all,” Comm Nyathi said.
