During MBC TV’s weekly program called The Debate, the Road Traffic Directorate asked the owners of the minibuses to submit personal records of their drivers to the Directorate, as a means of stopping minibus drivers and conductors from forcing passengers to exceed seating capacity.
Present on the TV program was R TD’s senior officer Raleigh Chewere; Malawi Police Service public relations officer Senior Superintendent James Kadadzera; Minibus Owners Association leader Misheck Munthali and Passenger Welfare Association leader Don Napuwa, all discussing exceeding buses.
Chewere outlined that public have the right to complain on those that break the traffic laws, but the sentiment was unrealistic as passengers feel overpowered by the situation. In 2017, Blantyre and some parts in the capital suffered from a minibus drivers protests, which involved halting minibus operations. The minibus owners stated that they will keep up with their vehicles capacity if fees minibus were raised, but somehow the minibus drivers and conductors exceed the passenger limits for their respective vehicles, to reap more.
Being announced on a TV program, it is not known if the submission of records is a formal directive or just a suggestion.