Zinara Workers At Risk

By Staff Reporter

Masvingo – The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA) employees have complained of poor working conditions at the company’s tollgates dotted around the country.

The employees most of them women appealed to the parliament thematic committee on transport and infrastructural development, to exercise their oversight role on ZINARA tollgates which they allege are not to be safe for both health and life.

The employees who are exposed to extreme weather condition work without proper shelter similar to the ones found in Mutare and Bulawayo highways.

A motorist, who was passing through the 37km tollgate before Masvingo urged ZINARA to consider the plight of their workers as they spend most of their time serving motorists while standing, with no proper shelter to protect them from the sun or rain.

“These workers are too exposed and in most cases police on duty will be seated at their tent while the Zinara staff will be at the gate collecting toll fees,” he said.

This publication made an effort of visiting the Chivhu tollgate which was also said to be in the same state, and the situation indeed requires urgent attention.

A legislator in the August House who spoke on condition of anonymity took a swipe at the powers-be at considering the ZINARA adding that the organisation had no reason not to erect proper shelter for its workers considering that the organisation collects large sums od money everyday from toll fees.

“The organisation collects large sums of money from toll fees and at times spent it recklessly, according to the Auditor General’s report.

“Zinara should prioritize setting up safe cabins like any other tolls around the country for the safety of their employees?”
“The worst case scenario is that most of its workers are women and exposing them to such risk is just but not necessary, both organisations, Zinara and ZRP seem to be sleeping on duty,” he said.

Efforts to reach the operations manager from Zinara were fruitless as his phone was not reachable.
Post On Sunday managed to capture majority of the complaints which motorist have and these include Eco-cash and swipe facility not efficient while some complain over the reluctance of some Intertol employees who enjoy long queues while another entry point is closed.