By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
THE Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) has suspended the operating licences for Mazhandu Family Bus Service and Wada Chovu Bus Service for one month.
This is in relation to two road traffic accidents that happened recently involving the two operators.
A Mazhandu bus was involved in an accident on the Great North Road near Kabwe in which seven people died while a Wada Chovu bus collided with a Mercedes Benz bus on the Great North Road near Kapiri Mposhi in which 25 people died.
RTSA chief executive officer Zindaba Soko said at a Press briefing yesterday that the two operators’ licences had been suspended for one month with effect from Thursday this week.
“RTSA has also ordered the two bus operators to take their drivers for defensive driving lessons and all the drivers should retake driving tests,” Mr Soko said.
The drivers should undergo various tests and lessons before the suspensions could be lifted, he said.
Mr Soko said the operating licence for the owner of the Mercedes Benz bus, Obrey M’membe, remained suspended.
He said it was unfortunate that people had died in accidents and bus operators should take responsibility.
He also said that two RTSA employees had been fired after they issued 200 driving licences to motorists who had not qualified as drivers using normal channels.
Mr Soko said the two were separated from the agency because RTSA did not condone corruption.
RTSA does not want to issue licences to incompetent drivers.
Mr Soko said the 200 drivers involved would have their names published in print media and would be compelled to retake driving tests before they could be issued with licences.