Cabinet has approved the resumption of inter-city travel to facilitate the movement of examination candidates, citizens and tourists.
Addressing the media during a post-cabinet briefing this Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said transporters who wish to carry passengers should register with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and comply with the World Health Organisation (WHO) covid19 regulations.
“Transporters who wish to ferry passengers should register with the Ministry of Transport and infrastructural Development to ensure that they strictly comply with Standard Operating Procedures for their sector which are compliant to the WHO guidelines and all covid-19 regulations.
“In support of this service, the Vehicle Inspection Department should also resume its services,” she said.
The Zimbabwean government declared the covid-19 crisis a “national disaster” on Friday, March 27, 2020, a move allowing the country to mobilise resources towards fighting covid-19, as well as to use emergency regulations and to deploy personnel for the same services.
Truck drivers were taking advantage of the situation with some picking up passengers along their way and transporting them to other cities without checking if they had exemption letters or not.
According to reports, truck drivers were assisting travelers to evade lockdown travel restrictions by hiding them in trailers and compartments of their vehicles.
Government yesterday extended business operation hours for the retail, wholesale and service sectors.
According to the Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa the development was part of government efforts to gradually open the economy since the introduction of the covid-19 lockdown in March this year.
“As part of gradually opening the economy and with immediate effect, Government has extended operation hours for the retail, wholesale and service businesses from 8am – 4.30pm to 6.30am – 6.30pm,” she said.
She added that the Government was putting in place measures to contain the pandemic in the event that the infection curve rises.
Meanwhile, cases in Africa continue to decline with 6,099 new cases recorded yesterday, to bring the total number of cases to over 1, 3 million. Deaths recorded are now 32,835 after 157 were recorded yesterday.
Zimbabwe recorded 5 new cases of the virus to bring the total number of cases to 7, 531. No new death was recorded hence the death toll remains at 224. The number of active cases is at 1,617 and the national recovery rate is at 76 percent.
