By Rex Mphisa
THE dangerous stretch to the border post from the traffic circle at the Harare and Bulawayo Roads junction is likely to be attended to soon, Beitbridge Councillor Takavingei Mahachi has said.
Mahachi recently appealed to authorities that be to consider safety measures to protect lives of both pedestrians and motorists on the stretch that has claimed several lives to date.
“I believe our cries have been heard and the Government will do something to mitigate the dangers both motorists and pedestrians face on that section of the road. We are all aware several valuable lives have been lost to several accidents that occur on there,” Mahachi said.
He said he received acknowledgement from the District Development Coordinator Sikhangzile Mafu that their request had been escalated to national level.
During the modernisation of Beitbridge dualisation of that part of the road was done.
Some motorists have now turned that part of the road into a race track and do not observe urban speed limits.
“Several motorists are abusing the development by speeding. This is despite us having an infant school (St Joseph’s) crossing the highway on part of that road. In the past some children from that school were hit. Having speed humps is long overdue,” said Mahachi.
Beitbridge residents have been quizzing their local authority on why it had not installed the humps with them shifting blame to Central Government they said owned the road.
While other smaller centres like Shangani on the Harare to Bulawayo highway, or Coleen Bawn between Beitbridge and Gwanda have had safety humps installed, it has always been surprising why it has not occured at Beitbridge.
On the stretch under spotlight among those killed were promising businessman Emmanuel Chiwa who contributed immensely towards the building of Vhembe Secondary School Laboratory.
Other notable figures who died on the stretch was a Beitbridge Rural District Council PA to the Chief Executive Phathuwani Mbedzi was killed by a speeding car as she crossed the road to work.