By Zachary Gava
Harare , (New Ziana) – The Zimbabwe government has launched a National Speed Monitoring System for public service vehicles as part of a broader drive to curb road traffic accidents, enforce compliance and improve passenger safety on the roads.
Speaking at the launch in Harare on Wednesday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Advocate Felix Mhona said the technology would strengthen oversight of public service vehicles by giving authorities better information on how they operate, particularly their speed and compliance with road safety requirements.
He said the system was being introduced against the backdrop of growing concerns over the number of unregistered public service vehicles operating on the country’s roads.
“The initiative is not simply about vehicles. It is about saving lives, improving accountability and strengthening public confidence in our transport system,” he said.
Mhona said thousands of public service vehicles were operating daily, with a significant proportion allegedly not registered with the relevant authorities.
He said random checks had raised concerns over compliance, warning that the government could not continue allowing vehicles to operate outside the regulatory framework when lives were at stake.
“We need to be decisive. We cannot continue if we are killing people on our roads and not registering,” he said.
The National Speed Monitoring System will provide a technological mechanism for tracking the operation of public service vehicles and monitoring compliance with speed requirements.
Mhona said the system would also generate information that could assist authorities in planning, regulation and timely intervention where necessary.
“For transport operators, the system represents an opportunity to strengthen operational discipline and to demonstrate compliance with the law. For drivers, it reinforces the importance of responsible conduct on our roads. For passengers, it represents an additional layer of protection and accountability in the use of public transport,” he said.
He said the system should not be viewed merely as an enforcement mechanism, but as part of efforts to build a safer and more efficient public transport system.
Mhona urged transport operators and drivers to embrace the technology and take responsibility for the safety of passengers and other road users.
“To our drivers, I urge you to remember that every journey carries human lives,” he said.
He added that technology alone would not resolve the country’s road safety challenges, saying the effectiveness of the system would depend on the integrity of information collected, institutional responsiveness and compliance by operators.
“Technology gives us an opportunity to improve the way we manage public transport, but technology alone cannot solve every challenge,” he said.
The government had introduced several legislative and administrative measures over the past three years aimed at reducing road traffic crashes, he said, including regulations relating to driver licensing and speed-limiting devices.
He said the National Speed Monitoring System would support implementation of the speed-limiting requirements and complement other interventions being undertaken by Government to improve road safety.
Mhona also outlined additional measures being pursued, including the development of a Road Traffic Authority Bill, improved standards for driving schools, regulations covering public transport operations, driver safety certification and the advancement of smart electronic traffic management systems.
He said Government had also strengthened enforcement capacity through the provision of smart operational vehicles and equipment for vehicle inspections, while post-crash response measures had been enhanced through the strategic deployment of ambulances.
Road infrastructure interventions, including rehabilitation, road markings, signage, guardrails, shoulders and pedestrian safety measures, were also being implemented as part of the broader road safety strategy, he said, adding the overall objective was to reduce road fatalities and improve the safety, reliability and efficiency of public transport.
Mhona further called for cooperation among transport operators, drivers, regulators, technology providers and members of the public, saying road safety was a shared responsibility.
He assured public service operators that they would be given an opportunity to comply with the new requirements, while making it clear that the legal requirements remained in force.
“We are saying to those that are coming, let us also make sure that when it comes to the first of December, on the first of January, everyone comes into compliance,” he said.
Speaking at the occassion, nationasl police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi described the new monitoring system as a potential “game changer”, saying effective implementation could contribute to reducing road crashes and deaths.
He said the country continued to lose lives in road traffic crashes and that stronger monitoring was necessary to address the problem.
“This is going to be a game changer. Properly implemented, we will see a reduction in the total road crashes,” he said.
Comm Nyathi challenged transport associations and operators to support the Government’s intervention by ensuring that public service vehicles comply with the speed monitoring requirements.
“If we are serious about safety, if we are serious about safeguarding Zimbabweans, let us comply,” he said.
He urged operators to work with authorities to ensure that vehicles are properly fitted with the required monitoring systems, saying there should be no excuses or compromises when it comes to protecting human life.
“No complaints, no compromises, no excuses,” he said.
Comm Nyathi said road safety could not be left to the government alone, arguing that transport operators, associations, drivers and other stakeholders all had a role to play.
“It’s not only about the government, it’s about all of us,” he said.
The launch marks another step in government efforts to combine regulation, technology, enforcement and stakeholder cooperation in addressing road safety, with the National Speed Monitoring System expected to provide authorities with greater visibility over the operation of public service vehicles.
New Ziana
