20.2.2025
20:38
Felix
Mhona,
the
Minister
of
Transport
and
Infrastructural
Development,
has
suspended
Urban
Connect
Holdings
Pvt
Ltd
from
operating
all
of
its
omnibuses
on
all
routes
for
six
months
following
a
fatal
road
accident
that
resulted
in
the
deaths
of
25
people
and
serious
injuries
to
several
others.
The
accident
occurred
on
13
February
2025
at
the
263
km
peg
along
the
Masvingo
–
Beitbridge
Road.
In
a
statement,
Mhona
said
Urban
Connect
was
not
in
compliance
with
the
country’s
road
traffic
and
safety
management
regulations,
prompting
the
decision
to
suspend
the
company’s
operations
temporarily.
Said
Mhona:
The
bus
registration
number
AGL2474
belonging
to
this
Company
did
not
have
a
valid
Passenger
Insurance
Policy
as
prescribed
under
Section
38(b)(1)
of
the
Road
Traffic
Act
[Chapter
13:11].In
addition,
the
vehicle
did
not
have
a
valid
Route
Permit
as
prescribed
in
Section
12
of
the
Road
Motor
Transportation
Act
[Chapter
13:15].Similarly,
our
inference
is
that
the
driver
of
this
bus
was
not
compliant
with
the
Re-Test
requirement
prescribed
under
Section
5
of
Statutory
Instrument
168
of
2006.The
above
violations
by
the
bus
operator
are
a
serious
breach
of
the
terms
and
conditions
of
the
operator’s
license
issued
to
the
Company
for
it
to
operate
in
Zimbabwe.Informed
by
the
foregoing
violations,
I
have
directed
the
Commissioner
of
Road
Motor
Transportation
to
invoke
provisions
of
Section
17(b)(i)
of
the
Road
Motor
Transportation
Act
[Chapter
13:15]
and
suspend,
with
immediate
effect,
Urban
Connect
(Pvt)
Ltd
from
operating
all
its
omnibuses
in
all
the
routes
for
a
period
of
six
months
as
we
further
investigate.
Mhona
also
warned
all
transport
operators,
associations,
motorists,
and
the
public
that
the
Ministry
will
take
strict
action,
as
outlined
by
law,
against
those
who
flagrantly
violate
road
traffic
rules
and
regulations.
Post
published
in:
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