By Rex Mphisa
RESIDENTS of Lutumba, 20 kilometres along Harare road from Beitbridge are appealing to authorities to erect speed humps on the highway to slow down cars.
A child was struck and killed by a speeding motor vehicle at the site where several accidents have occured to date.
Prior to the upgrade of the highway there was a speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour but after contractors removed them during construction, they did not replace.
“Speeding cars pose serious danger to children crossing that road to school. I witnessed a child being hit by a car and the experience was nasty,” said Oscar Chiromo, a councillor under whose ward Lutumba lies.
Chiromo said he had been approached by several villagers asking if anything could be done.
“Children from the eastern side of the business centre cross the railway line and the road to go to school and it has become dangerous. The new road is wide and smooth allowing motorists to speed yet posing a serious danger to pedestrians,” said Chiromo.
Another Lutumba resident Big Ndlovu said speeding motorists were a hazard.
“We have witnessed several collisions between cars on the highway and those crossing either fom the business centre or Chikwalakwala road. Some drivers misjudge the speed of cars on the highway and attempt to cross resulting in collisions,” said Ndlovu.
“Any densely populated area needs speed limits, Lutumba is no exception. Authorities must do something,” he said.
Efforts to get comment from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
Meanwhile the Government is yet to respond to appeals by Beitbridge residents to have speed humps erected on the stretch from the border post to the roundabout junction.
Several accidents have occurred on that stretch and more than 10 people have been killed by speeding cars.
Beitbridge Municipality and the Department of Roads are both responsible for the stretch but the two authorities are paying a deaf ear.