The Central Mechanical Equipment Department (CMED) has reportedly been hard hit by an acute shortage of government authorised vehicle drivers’ examiners, resulting in applicants having to wait longer before they are tested.
Insiders told NewsDay only one examiner from CMED in Harare was covering the whole country following a massive exodus of experienced competency examiners to the private sector.
The shortage was attributed to low salary and perks obtaining in the public service.
“The department has only one examiner for government authorised drivers’ testing,” said the source, who declined to be named.
“He goes around the whole country for varying periods to test drivers who want to be authorised to drive government vehicles.”
Secretary for Transport Patson Mbiriri declined to comment, but advised NewsDay to direct questions to CMED managing director Davison Mhaka.
However, Mhaka could not be reached for comment.
A certificate to drive government vehicles is valid for only two years and when it expires, holders are obliged to undergo a re-test.
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An official at the department’s Bulawayo depot said the examiner, whom he declined to name, was scheduled to visit the city on Friday.
“The last time he was here, 16 drivers were tested and only 6 failed. The booking for the test is $25,” said the official.
Sources said the backlog in some provinces had escalated to over 40 applicants, forcing the examiner to sometimes conduct tests at night.
