The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) last week engaged local truck drivers in Ndola over their threats to paralyse the transport sector in the country by blocking selected highways.
Following the meeting with the local truck drivers, the RTSA resolved to make administrative changes to address some of their concerns.
RTSA Director and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Zindaba Soko has since directed all driving schools offering training for drivers that drive Dangerous Goods Vehicles to immediately stop imposing expiry dates on the Dangerous Goods Certificate as the current practice is not supported by law.
Similarly, in bid to break the monopoly in the issuance of the Dangerous Goods Certificate, the Agency will be allowing drivers wishing to obtain a Driving Licence for Dangerous Goods to present certification from any recognised driving school as proof of having undergone the said training.
On the other hand, the drivers have expressed concern over unfavourabe working conditions citing amongst other challenges they are facing, employing of foreign drivers in place of locals.
The drivers have demanded that priority be given to Zambians when employing truck drivers adding that a lot of trucking companies are flouting the Zambian laws by employing foreigners.
Mr. Soko has assured the truck drivers that the resolutions of the meeting will be presented to responsible ministries for action.
He however, stated that the RTSA will resolve all concerns within its powers and has disclosed that Road Traffic Amendment Bill which will be presented to parliament soon with the proposal of revising the validity of a Public Service (PSV) Driving Licence from one to three years.
He adds that, the Agency will recommend that a task force involving key stakeholders such as the Ministries of Transport and Communications, Labour, and Home Affairs be formed to look into challenges causing friction in the truck industry.
Soko is a criminal, what is he still doing in that office??
Agree. He caused a terrible accident recently while DUI …
I like him- I have a soft spot for balding men. There is something about them.
I agree though that this job too too big for him
I have a PhD
Thanks
BB2014,2016
@Ndobo, Litozi chuni man.
Why are you writing what I was thinking? Yes imagine, criminals are the ones appearing on TV daily.
I keep wondering why a driver’s license should have an expiry date every five years. shouldn’t these be one-off transaction?
Minimum should be 10 years but they know that Zambians are very docile and will cough up…chaps like Soko can never be allowed to run a Tuck Shop anywhere else!!
Other issue Mr. Soko is on the speed limits you have imposed on our roads. Why should we have a speed limit of 60 km along Kabwe road? Taking 5 hours between Lusaka & Kabwe? We are losing man hours that are supposed to drive the economy of this country.
Really laughable ..you complaining to someone who was over-speeding on the highway and caused a serious accident!!
I agree, have you ever driven at these ridiculously low speeds? What was the whole point of making most of these roads and highways when vehicles are supposed to be driving at 60 and as low as 40. Come on get some expert advise. This is counterproductive. On top of this the traffic cops stand with speed cameras and milk the public out of their hard earned kwacha. Your own cameras are catching people doing 61 on great east roads. That just doesn’t make sense. Than there is things like in congestion, bus drivers cut in from the front and you should remain in the queue. The traffic cops don’t pay attention. The moment out of frustration you try and pull a stunt like that and you are pulled over. There are 2 sets of laws. 1 for the bus drivers and the other for the rest. Frustrating.
Most of those RATSA rules are to facilitate corruption, like getting a certificate from only one company and expiry dates made too short…….
We also in diaspora will block cargo to Zambia because of the corrupt rule of paying one company that Soko is eating from £150 to go over a current safety certificate for which we already paid when sending a car to Zambia
Another useless official connected to the corruption network!!
Similarly, in bid to break the monopoly in the issuance
of the Dangerous Goods Certificate, the Agency will
be allowing drivers wishing to obtain a Driving
Licence for Dangerous Goods to present certification
from any recognised driving school as proof of having
undergone the said training.
THIS IS AN ERROR AS MOST SCHOOLS WILL JUST GET MONEY AND NOT TEST THE DRIVER. AVOID THIS ONE MR SOKO
I wish to appeal to the drivers to have mercy on the people of Zambia. The economy under the PF is so weak that even when Kambwili issues derogatory remarks against Edgar the Kwacha collapses. Now what will happen if they block the highways? There’ll be no economy! Please spare us the agony, may God bless you and Emerine Kabashi
Bwafya.
Frustrating