No alcohol for public transport drivers

PATRICIA MAGANU
Staff Writer | Thursday March 11, 2010 00:00

This was in response to statements by the deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communication, Ntabeni Malikongwa during the review of the Road Transport Act.

When consulting with the Francistown City Council (FCC) last week  Malikongwa had said that currently the alcohol content limit was the same for every driver whether they were in a private vehicle or in public transport and that in the reviewed act they would like to put it at zero for public transport drivers.

Council simultaneously agreed that the alcohol content for someone driving a public vehicle should be zero.When confronted with that aspect of the reviewed act taxi and bus operators expressed support for the government's suggestion.

Godfrey Ndlovu a taxi operator on Selepa route said that they are against taxi drivers who drink on the job.He said that the government should seriously crack the whip on drivers who drink while carrying passengers.

'We see them at the rank all the time and they are the ones who misbehave,' he said. Another taxi driver Letsogile Mokgosi said that some drivers even use strong stuff.

'How about those drivers who smoke mariuajana while on duty. That is also a problem because they misbehave and disrespect customers,' he said. Mokgosi said drivers should stay sober while on duty.

A combi driver Tumelo Macheke said that although he did not drink alcohol or know the effects of alcohol while driving he would not advise a driver to drink and drive while transporting members of the public.

A combi operator Thembani Makoba said that he was tired of hiring people who wanted to get drunk while they were on duty.

'They drink and want to drive and then wreck our cars. Sometimes they even drink Shake-Shake,' he said. He said that he once hired a driver who always wanted to drink even when he was on duty.

'When the combi was loading he would be in the depot drinking,' he said. Makoba said that he was totally against drivers who got drunk and wished that the government would implement that part of the act.

'We are tired of those people,' he said.

Some bus drivers suggested that portable breathalyzers be placed in buses to test drivers before they got behind the wheel as there are some who do drink and drive while carrying passengers.

'Anyone who is driving public transport should stay away from alcohol. People at the mines accept restricting conditions about alcohol why not do it with bus drivers,' said one bus driver.