TSCZ urges stricter checks on school transport after Gweru kombi fire

TSCZ urges stricter checks on school transport after Gweru kombi fire

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The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) has called on schools to tighten checks on vehicles used to transport learners, saying they must be roadworthy, properly licensed and insured to ensure accountability and compensation in the event of a crash.

The appeal follows the death of seven schoolchildren who were burnt when an overloaded commuter omnibus caught fire in Senga, Gweru, on Wednesday afternoon.

According to information cited in initial reports, preliminary investigations suggest the vehicle may have been carrying a container of petrol at the time of the incident. The fuel was allegedly placed behind the driver’s seat before the fire broke out.

In comments carried by The Herald, TSCZ official Munodawafa extended condolences to bereaved families and urged school authorities to take responsibility for the safety of pupil transport.

“Firstly, we would like to extend our condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. It is painful to lose children under such circumstances,” Munodawafa said.

“School authorities must ensure that vehicles used to transport pupils are roadworthy, properly licensed and insured so that there is recourse in the event of an accident.”

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Munodawafa warned against overloading and the practice of carrying passengers alongside goods, particularly flammable materials such as fuel, saying it increases the risk of serious injury and loss of life.

He said the council plans to intensify road safety awareness campaigns nationwide, focusing on schools and major highways as part of broader efforts to reduce road traffic accidents in Zimbabwe.

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