The Michael Schumachers dart behind other cars to avoid the dreaded speed trap.
The noble efforts of the men and women in blue are however hampered by lack of manpower. This fact was brought up by both Sergeant Metsi of the Borakanelo Police station and Assistant Superintendent Morupisi of the Gaborone West Police station, in separate interviews with Mmegi.
Borakanelo traffic officers have become an unwelcome morning headache for Combi drivers heading for the station terminus in Gaborone.
As the Combis pass in front of the Police station, they are pulled over and asked to produce PSV licences, permits and road worthiness certificates. Borakanelo police have arrested a number of drivers and impounded un-roadworthy Combis which Metsi said pose a danger to passengers with, for example, their torn seats. He warned Combi drivers against overloading, which carries a fine of P200. Metsi advised passengers to call in and report un-roadworthy Combis.
When Gaborone police noticed that speeding vehicles pose a danger to pedestrians in the morning along the Western By-Pass, they mounted speed traps with help from the Special Support Group. Morupisi says they use Tuesday and Thursday mornings to help school children cross the By-Pass. However due to a lack of manpower, they would not assist children this week. He promised that they would be back next Tuesday.
Morupisi expressed their wish to expand their services to other roads and carry out the same exercise of assisting young children to cross the roads in the mornings.
