…tracking system records 4 285 driving violations in one month
Perpetua Murungweni
Vehicle misuse is reigning supreme at Masvingo City Council as the vehicle tracking system has recorded a shocking 4 285, driving violations on the municipal vehicles in one month.
The statistics are almost double from the 2019 recorded in April last year.
This came out in the report of the Acting Director of Engineering Services on vehicle tracking system for the month of May 2023.
“It was reported that 4 285 driving violations had been recorded during the month of May 2023,” read the statement in the minutes.
However, Mayor Collen Maboke said some of the offences were very minor as the tracking system records everything.
“Some of the violations recorded are very minor like if one applies emergency brakes, so if we are to punish offenders we would fire all drivers,” said Maboke.
Last year the local authority was challenged to employ a vehicle tracking system on its fleet so as to curb misuse of the local authority’s vehicles.
This was after council vehicles were seen parked at places where they should not be such as recreational and social joints.
As a preventive measure, councilors, mainly Sengerayi Manyanga of ward 10, implored management at Town House to install tracking systems on vehicles and also assign a specific officials to take care and monitor errands of vehicles.
The City Council’s engineering department acknowledged in full council minutes this publication is in possession of that most of their vehicles were developing faults and the top cause being idling.
However, the shocking statistics shows that the local authority could probably failing to take action against errand drivers as the statics continue to sour.
In April last year, 2019 violations including over speeding, harsh braking, turning and idling, were recorded.
The local authority had also noted that ambulances were at fault on regular basis and it was discovered that 95 percent of the mileage recorded on the ambulances were not related to patient transfer but other errands
The recent full council meeting was also told that the municipal police in its errands had raised a total of USD 18950 from 1625 violations by the citizens for the month of May.
“Covering Human and Material Resources, operational activities, Traffic Offences, commonage patrols, vending, boom gate activities and status of ranking of buses at Mucheke Bus Terminus. It is reported that the Section attended to 1625 violations in the commonage and raised a total of USD18950 during the month under review,” reads the minutes.
