Police blitz on traffic chaos

Police this week start a nationwide effort to flush unregistered vehicles from the roads and clampdown on illegal drivers as they work towards reducing road carnage and crime.

Last year, a total of 42 430 accidents occurred, killing 1 838 people and injuring 10 489.

Addressing participants drawn from across country in life-saving displays to mark World First Aid Day in Harare yesterday, Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga expressed concern over the number of deaths due to road traffic accidents.

“40 to 45 people are dying every week due to road accidents. This is what made me decide to come to this event myself and not send a representative because this is an issue that needs dialogue,” he said.

“Starting next Monday we are going to hunt down all drivers without licences and arrest them. Vehicles without number plates will be impounded. I hear some people are driving cars without number plates as a mark of prestige now,” he said.

Comm-Gen Matanga thanked the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society for offering free first aid training to the police force.

“Barely a day passes without us as police being called to protect human life. We deeply cherish and value the first aid training services which have been extended to us by the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society,” he said.

The commemorations were marked by first aid competitions, in which 13 teams from the ZRP, Freda Rebecca Mine, Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting Company, Mega Pack, Murowa Diamonds, Red Cross and Delta Corporation participated.

Zimbabwe Red Cross Society president Mr Edson Mlambo reiterated the importance of first aid knowledge.

“We have read about students drowning in swimming pools at schools, some families losing their beloved children to emergencies at homes and of course the many road accidents that continue to claim lives every day.

“All such unfortunate incidents call for us to be equipped with the basic first aid so that we know how to respond to emergencies as they arise,” he said.

He thanked Government and other stakeholders for their support to ZRCS.

ZRCS runs a First Aid in Schools programme where teachers and pupils are trained in basic first aid.