Some motorists in Francistown may find themselves exposed to road hazards as culprits in the city are reportedly selling dangerously worn out tires to the unsuspecting motorists.
The sellers buy the worn out tires from different companies and individuals then retread the tires to make them appear convincingly new and sell them at a much cheaper price than the market price for new ones.
Information reaching the Sunday Standard is that the culprits are operating the illegal businesses along the Francistown roads, especially in the Bluetown location, Area W and several other locations.
One motorist revealed how he nearly lost his life after he lost control of the car that he was traveling in burst a tyre within a few hours of buying it.
“I bought the tire from these dealers in Bluetown location and after fitting it onto my vehicle, the tyre burst within a few hours. I nearly lost my life,” he said.
Another source revealed that the tyres are sold at cheaper prices to entice the unsuspecting customers. He said that the tires are not of good standard as they easily wear off and can take a life span of one day or even less.
Reached for comment on the allegations, Thulani Gumede, the Chief Traffic Assistant Officer in the Department of Roads and Transport in Francistown, told the Sunday Standard that they are not aware of such culprits. He said that although retreading of old tires is acceptable, companies that specialize in such products must be duly registered.
“A retreaded tire must be done by professionals and they should have registered companies because retreaded tires need thorough inspection and testing to ensure their safety to motorists,” he said.
However, the Police Divisional Traffic Officer North, Engemadzo Sechele, confirmed the allegations to the Sunday Standard, saying that they are currently conducting investigations in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies to bring the culprits to book. He revealed that some of the culprits are reportedly using knives or sharp objects to renew the look of the tires by re-drawing the tyre marks.
“We have realized that these tires continue to contribute to the escalation of road accidents as they are of low quality and can easily burst, posing danger to motorists and pedestrians,” he said.
