Government says Toyota Hiace commuter minibuses will not be allowed to operate after January 1, 2018 because they do not provide the necessary passenger safety.

In an interview with News Diggers! transport and communication minister Brian Mushimba urged bus operators to purchase standard Rosa size commuter buses which have seat belts.

“We have come up with a situation where in the public transport there is this type of bus that; originally where they are coming from they are not used to carry people but they are used to transport cargo. So they come without the provision of seat belt. Because we a liberalised market, entrepreneurs have seen an opportunity to import these buses and fabricate seats and then they start to transport people,” said Mushimba.

“We urge bus owners to start procuring right buses with the right safety provision.”

He says the response from bus owners was positive but consultations were still on-going with other stakeholders.