Bulawayo Mayor Cllr David Coltart has condemned what he described as growing lawlessness in the city following a deadly road accident in the central business district that left two people dead and at least 17 others injured.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening at the busy intersection of Sixth Avenue and Lobengula Street when a commuter omnibus veered off the road and rammed into a group of street vendors and pedestrians.
Two people were killed on the spot while 17 others sustained injuries and were taken to hospital.
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In a statement, Coltart said he was "deeply saddened" by the incident, extending condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
"My condolences and sympathy are extended to the families of those who were killed, and my prayers are with the surviving injured people for a quick and full recovery," he said.
The mayor said the tragedy was not an isolated incident but the result of persistent disorder in parts of the city centre where vendors continue to operate in prohibited areas and traffic laws are routinely ignored.
"Regrettably this accident is a direct result of the lawlessness which currently prevails in this part of Bulawayo," Coltart said despite what he described as the "valiant efforts" of the city's municipal police.
He criticised what he said was inadequate traffic enforcement by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) warning that reckless driving had become a daily threat to public safety.
"There are simply insufficient traffic police on our roads at present and bad drivers cause grave danger to innocent people daily throughout the city with absolute impunity," he said.
Coltart revealed that he had raised the issue earlier in the week during meetings with Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona and Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe urging legal reforms to empower municipal police to enforce city by-laws more effectively.
He also called for an urgent meeting with the Joint Operations Command (JOC) in Bulawayo seeking immediate support from the ZRP in enforcing traffic regulations and municipal by-laws while legislative changes are being pursued.
"The lawlessness currently prevailing in our city is unacceptable. Urgent action is needed to restore law and order so that tragedies like the one which happened yesterday can be avoided," Coltart said.
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The accident has once again sparked debate about road safety, informal trading and traffic enforcement in the country's second-largest city with residents calling for decisive action to prevent further loss of life.
