TRANSPORT and infrastructural development minister has with immediate effect suspended operating licences for Rimbi and Zebra Kiss bus operators after their drivers recklessly caused a fatal accident while racing with passengers on board.
The accident which took place along the Harare-Nyamapandabhighway claimed the life of Rimbi bus conductor who was recording the video which later went viral, sparking an uproar from the public.
In the video, the buses were seen recklessly racing, resulting in Rimbi bus ramming into a tipper truck which was headed in the same direction.
In a statement Thursday, the transport minister, Felix Mhona, said the two companies disregarded the terms and conditions of their operating licenses.
The suspension is indefinite.
"Informed by the foregoing violations and verified videographic circumstances, the Commissioner of Road Transport, after informing the two operators of his intention, and after the operators were given a reasonable opportunity to make representations on the matter in terms of Section 17 (2) of the Road Motor Transportation Act [Chapter 13:15], invoked provisions of Section 17 (1) (b) (i) of the same act and suspended the licences of Rimbi Travel and Tours and Tashllyt Investments Trading as Zebra Kiss from operating all its omnibuses in all the routes as authorised by the ministry of transport and infrastructural development.
"This suspension is with immediate effect pending corrective measures by the two operators to ensure that they are in a position to resume operations without breach of the terms and conditions under which their licenses are issued.
"Section 17 (1) (b) (i) of the Road Motor Transportation Act empowers the Commissioner of Road Transport to suspend the operator's license where it appears that there is disregard of the terms and conditions of the licenses.
"I have directed that this provision be implemented dutifully, consistently and religiously going forward, with the view to weed out all errant operators from our roads," Mhona said.
Mhona also urged traffic law enforcement agencies to ensure that Rimbi and Zebra Kiss buses are not on the roads and also said the ministry will take measures against those who wantonly and blatantly violate road traffic rules and regulations.