MIDWEEK REPORTER
MUTARE-Driving schools across the country are crying foul over the alleged haphazard manner in which Statutory Instrument 119 of 2023 is being implemented.
The driving schools that spoke to The Midweek Watch said the way the Minister implementing the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations of 2023 was uncoordinated and without consultations with stakeholders to ensure smooth sail of the new changes
However, they agree that the changes are inevitable to restore sanity on the roads and for the country to conform to the international standards.
The S.I.119 came into force on June 23, 2023 and among other things prohibited persons with a provisional license to acquire a Class 2 driver’s license without a class 4 license valid for one year.
The S.I. 119 also made it mandatroy that the license disc for articulated lorries and an ordinary truck are different and that of buses with trailers especially cross borders are also different form ordinary bus driving licenses.
They also allege that the central vehicle registry does not have the new license disc that are internationally recognised.
“While we appreciate the Government efforts in making our roads safer and our drivers more compliant to the international best practice and SADC standards, but the way the S.I. is being implemented leaves a lot to be desired.
“We feel there was supposed to be an awareness campaign before the implementation so that there is smooth transition from the old system with every stakeholder on board.
“At the moment there are a lot of questions that are not being answered with regards to the new changes and after some pressure from stakeholders they said those who obtained their learners license before June 23 can proceed to obtain their class 2 licenses without waiting for the one year period.
“This shows the move was made without the input of other parties involved.
“The Government seems to be incapacitated as well in terms of articulated trucks testing hence the changes remain theoretical as they cannot be implemented,” said Noah Marima who runs arguably the biggest driving school in the country, Junior Driving School.
Marima also added that most driving schools had acquired more trucks because learners were now preferring class 2 than class 4, but with this sudden change of events they will be stuck with the vehicles.
“The turn around time of importing new vehicles is long in the country and there is need for money as most had invested in trucks and that requires one to import smaller vehicles something that does not happen overnight.
“However, the move is important to reduce carnage on our roads and we support it,” he added.
Tafadzwa Mugagani of Tutor Driving School also expressed the same sentiments, but bemoaned the lack of discs in the system to go along with the changes.
“The move by the Minister is most welcome, but the implementation is unfortunately poor and haphazard because there was no consultation.
“The VID system is still old, there is need to revamp the system and then start the new systems, there are no discs to go with the changes.
“As we speak more than 12 drivers that I know in Chiredzi have lost their jobs after the S.I was put into place as their trucks are now redundant as all learners have to start with class 4, something that came as a surprise.
“Imagine a whole fleet of lorries being parked yet yesterday they were on the road doing work,” said Magagani.
Efforts to get a comment from the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Felix Mhona were fruitless as his cellphone was not being picked until the time of posting the story.
VID principal director, Dr Johannes Dzapasi said Zimbabwe was the only country in the region that had not implemented the intranational standards and they were long over due.
“In the SADC region we were the only country that was lagging behind in terms of implementing the new international standards. On the issue of discs, I can confirm that all the discs are available at the CVR for all the drivers and they are SADC protocols compliant hence we had no option but effect the painful changes,” said Dr Dzapasi.
Tarisai Musvusvu form Dangamvura said she had planned to get a class 2 driver’s license soon after obtaining the learners license, but all that has been shattered as she has to wait for another year.
In the past few years, new drivers were preferring class 2 licences than class 4 as they felt trucks are easier to drive than petrol engines when one wants to obtain a driver’s disc.
Kudziso Nyamazha from Zaka said he is left with no option but to comply although his plans were to drive in the region using the class 2 that he had planned to obtain directly without getting a class 4 disc first.
“If one has a class 2 license it is easier to get a driving job in the region than with a class 4 disc. All my plans are in a shambles as I have to go back to the drawing board,” he said.
