Kalabo travellers complain of poor pontoon services

Kalabo travellers complain of poor pontoon services

                                    

Kalabo, Jul 30/14 ZANIS——Residents of Kalabo have protested against unsafe pontoon services offered by a private company on the Zambezi River crossing point.

 

The residents told ZANIS in an interview that the pontoon was a serious hazard which needed an urgent intervention from relevant authorities before lives are lost.

 

The residents and other visitors to Kalabo district complained that the named owner was over-loading the pontoon making it unsafe for use.

 

Travellers complained that the owner was failing to provide a safer service despite collecting colossal amounts of money from motorists.

 

Last week over ten people nearly drowned as the pontoon developed a serious fault in the middle of the river.

 

The named proprietor could not be reached on phone.

 

On Monday, a combined team from the District Council and Zambia Police led by the District Commissioner, Masela Chinyama, visited the site where they confirmed the dissatisfactory services provided and immediately suspended the use of the unsafe pontoon.

 

Mrs Chinyama said her office quickly moved in to safeguard lives after receiving several complainants.

 

The District Commissioner explained that it was at the moment difficult to bring the government pontoon because water had not completely dried up to transport it.

 

She said the government pontoon could only be brought if Road Development Agency (RDA) graded the road. 

 

She appealed to travellers not to panic as the situation would be brought under control and that her office would always be proactive to issues affecting the general populace in the district.