RTSA suspends Mazhandu license

Mazhandu buses load

The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) has with immediate effect suspended the Road Service License for Mazhandu Family Bus Services pending investigations into yesterday’s accident in which 10 people died.

RTSA Chief Executive Officer Zindaba Soko has told a news conference in Lusaka that the agency expects Mazhandu Family Bus Services management to put in place necessary logistics and halt operations within 24hours.

Mr Soko notes that accidents involving Mazhandu buses have been frequent and are posing a serious danger to the public.

He points out that that from 2012 to the third quarter of 2016, a total of 9, 930 fatalities were recorded involving Mazhandu buses, with 27, 839 cases of serious injuries and 42, 427 cases of slight injuries.

Mr Soko says the agency will not leave this deteriorating road safety record for Mazhandu unchecked, and hence the action taken to suspend the operating license for the bus company.

Meanwhile nine of the 10 bodies of the people who died in yesterday’s accident on the Great North road between Kapiri Mposhi and Kabwe in Central Province have been identified.

Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo says only one body still remains unidentified.

She says Postmortems will be conducted on seven bodies today before the bodies are transported to the Copperbelt and Lusaka to the victims’ families.

Ms. Katongo adds that seven of the injured who were admitted to Kabwe General Hospital have been discharged, while two are still admitted.

She says seven of the nine others who were admitted to Kapiri Mposhi District hospital have also been discharged.

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