Moses
Ziyambi
The Zimbabwe Driving
Schools Owners Association (ZDSOA) says it sees no reason for the continued
suspension of licensing services as all conditions demanded of them by government
to reduce chances of coronavirus transmissions at work have been met, TellZim
can report.
In a press statement
with clear signs of distress, the association says it is convinced there would
be little risk of transmission even if the Vehicle Inspectorate Department
(VID) and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) were to open
immediately.
“The Association
submitted to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development the guidelines
we are following to minimise the risk of transmitting Covid-19 and we believe
there will be less risk during testing at VID,” the organisation says in the
statement.
The association also
claims that it is prepared to conform to all social distancing and sanitization
requirements set by the provincial Covid-19 taskforces.
“During practical
driving lessons, we stand guided by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe
regulations which make it mandatory for a single learner per given time and
strictly without passengers. We maintain client registers also according to
Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe regulations for maintaining client records
and signing off each time they turn up for lessons. This system can be used for
contact tracing in compliance with WHO standards in the case of transmissions.
“Our members have been
conscientised by the provincial Covi-19 taskforce teams on the statutory
requirements that every formal business is required to fulfill in order to
operate. We are now anxiously awaiting the opening of the VID learner testing
since we are yet to get a response from the ministry,” the statement reads.
The association also
claims that fraudsters are now taking advantage of the prolonged closure of
official services to issue fake documents to motorists and prospective
drivers thereby worsening road safety in the country.
When contacted for
comment, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Joel Biggie
Matiza said he expected a position on the reopening of TSCZ and VID to be
reached by next week.
“We are working as the National
Covid-19 Taskforce and we have made a lot of deliberations. We should have released
a statement on that by next week,” said Matiza.
When asked about
concerns that government had been making similar promises over the past several
weeks but with no tangible results, Matiza said it was a different case this
time around.
“As you can see, things
are loosening up; the tourism and other sectors have been reopened and we expect
things to improve. It’s not a decision of the ministry alone to make, but of
the national taskforce,” said Matiza.
