Can intermittent crackdowns tame the traffic jungle?
JUST under 35 000 arrests had been effected by police countrywide as at the end of last week, in the “Tame the Traffic Jungle” blitz that commenced on September 12.
The figure may give the impression that a significant number of arrests were made in less than two weeks, but it would actually be an underestimation of the traffic infringements that take place in Harare’s Central Business District (CBD) alone on a “quiet” Sunday.
For the umpteenth time, law-enforcement agents have launched another crackdown to tame indiscipline on the country’s roads.
Over the past few years, police have carried out the following traffic blitzkriegs: “Follow Up on Vehicles Captured on Camera” (2018), “No to Mushikashika” (2019), “Clampdown on unlicensed and unregistered vehicles” (2020), relaunched “No to Mushikashika” (2021), and “Respect Other Road Users” (2022).
While these initiatives to address the traffic challenges are noble, can intermittent police operations really tame the ever-growing traffic jungle, especially in the major cities?
The curious case of Harare
In the country’s capital, Harare, the roads have “long forgotten” the concept of “rush hour” (the busiest parts of the day when people are either travelling to work in the morning, or going back home in the evening), as congestion has become a common feature throughout the day. The increased levels of congestion seem to have worsened indiscipline on the roads, as some drivers adopt unscrupulous measures to beat the traffic.
Previously, errant traffic behaviours were associated more with commuter omnibus (kombi) drivers and pirate taxi (mushikashika) operators. But it is now common to see private cars and sometimes even company vehicles performing ridiculous, albeit suicidal, stunts on the roads.
Common sights on Zimbabwe’s roads are vehicles passing red traffic lights, speeding, driving in the wrong direction along one-way streets, driving in front of oncoming traffic, and dangerous lane violations. And for good measure, be careful when you are indicating to turn right. Someone may overtake you from your right side.
Ruwa resident Mr John Tondo said the enforcement of traffic regulations should be continuous.
“I wish this could be done continuously, so that mushikashika and commuter omnibus drivers get used to it. As time goes on, they will adjust,” he said.
While some years ago, it was easy to pinpoint mushikashika and commuter omnibus drivers as the main culprits, nowadays, these alone cannot account for the ballooning number of traffic infringements on the country’s roads.
Police: Fighting or abetting?
While the sporadic law-enforcement operations are meant to give a semblance of order, public transport operators have claimed some traffic police officers are contributing to disorder on the roads.
Some police officers have been accused of behaving like criminal gangs. Some mushikashika and kombi drivers in the capital say at the start of each day, they are made to pay “token sacrifices” to some law- enforcement agents so that they can operate without “harassment”.
These paid-up transporters are then allowed to pick up and drop passengers even at undesignated points, in the process worsening traffic congestion in the CBD.
Those who fail to pay bribes risk having their vehicles impounded.
Some transport operators who spoke to The Sunday Mail said they are constantly threatened and forced to pay bribes.
Commuter omnibus driver Mr Mutsawashe Ndlela said traffic police officers, who are meant to bring order on the roads, are short-changing the public.
“We also know police officers who operate their commuter omnibuses through proxies, and their vehicles are left untouched when such operations are underway,” he said.
Other transporters accused police officers of taking bribes from drivers who would have broken traffic rules, for example, passing through red traffic lights.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi has since urged motorists not to offer bribes to traffic cops as they work towards bringing order to the country’s roads.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police has sternly warned both police and members of the public to cooperate with police officers and relevant stakeholders in order to bring sanity to the country’s roads and central business districts.
“Offering bribes is an offence. Members of the police are not allowed to take any bribes as it is also a punishable offence,” he said.
According to statistics from the police, as at September 22, 2023, a total of 34 123 arrests had been effected during the ongoing operation.
At least 1 006 arrests were made in cases of vehicles without route permits, while 12 291 arrests were made over mishikashika.
A total of 333 motorists were arrested for reckless driving, while 2 298 people were arrested for touting.
A total of 891 vehicles were impounded for moving on the roads without registration plates.
Passengers Association of Zimbabwe national coordinator Mr Tafadzwa Goliati said traffic operations by law enforcers have largely failed to provide a permanent solution to the country’s traffic problems.
“What is lacking is a holistic strategy involving the full contribution of the public transport community. There is a need for inclusive dialogue for sustainable solutions between public transporters and law-enforcement agents, because, as it stands, public transport operators perceive the police as their enemies.”
Mr Goliati said while the “Tame the Traffic Jungle” blitz is a noble move aimed at bringing sanity to the roads, it also has a negative effect on ordinary residents.
“Inclusiveness is lacking and its effect is huge. For instance, travelling along the Harare-Chitungwiza route is now costing passengers US$2,50.
“Learners are failing to go to school and workers cannot afford to go to work. The economy also suffers,” he said.
“There is also loss of life during operations. Recently, a commuter omnibus dragged a woman for several metres as the driver was trying to avoid the police in the CBD,” he said.
Zimbabwe Union of Drivers and Conductors president Mr Fredreck Maguramhinga said: “If these drivers have all the proper documentation, we do not see any reason to arrest them.
“As associations, we are now coming up with one big organisation for us to engage with Government, local authorities and the police to find a lasting solution to the never-ending traffic jungle in Harare and elsewhere in the country.”
Way forward
Harare Residents Trust executive director Mr Precious Shumba said a modern mass public transportation system will help decongest the capital city. He said a lasting solution requires the construction of the Chitungwiza-Harare railway line, and a mass tram bus system on the country’s major roads, combined with a functional railway transport system linking the suburbs and industrial areas.
“Additionally, our town planners and policymakers should emphasise modern self-contained suburbs with service centres to significantly cut on the need to drive into the CBD for basic services.”
City planners predict that, as more people move into urban areas, traffic jams will only get worse.
There is a hidden cost to the country’s traffic problems. Observers believe traffic jams could be costing the country millions of dollars through increased fuel consumption, vehicle damage and pollution.
Traffic management is an important aspect of the day-to-day lives of urban dwellers and is, therefore, a vital part of urban planning.
Urban planning specialist Engineer James Manyaka said police operations are short-term measures, hence not sustainable.
He said rapid urbanisation is associated with increased traffic congestion, which makes well-integrated planning of transport investment and land use management important in dealing with the congestion.
“Since the carrying capacity of roads cannot be increased, the only way to reduce traffic congestion is by reducing the number of vehicles on roads. This can only be achieved by reducing the usage of private vehicles — which, in turn — can only be achieved by building an efficient and robust public transportation system,” he said.
“Public transport also needs to be easily accessible and affordable so that more people are encouraged to shift from private transport to public transport.”
Engineer Manyaka said transit-oriented development (TOD) could be another strategy.
“As the name suggests, TOD is a planning and design strategy that comprises promoting urban development that is compact, of mixed use, pedestrian and bicycle friendly, and closely integrated with mass transit by concentrating jobs, housing, services and amenities in the close vicinity of public transport stations, thus encouraging maximum use of public transport,” he added.
Transport and logistics expert Mr Atkinson Munemo said the only way to deal with the congestion in cities across the country is through a mass public transportation system governed by the State.
“I encourage the rehabilitation of ZUPCO and an increase in its fleet, and rehabilitation of the railway line.
“We need to revamp our public transport sector and let it be run by Government.”