Govt engages with SADC for a harmonised road regulation system

By Anna Chibamu

TO reduce carnage by reckless drivers on the roads, government is working towards a harmonised road regulation system with the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region, Transport Minister Felix Mhona has said.

Responding to questions during a Parliament Q and A session last week regarding police’s traffic blitz, Mhona said there is a need for synchronisation of signs, regulations to match SADC standards.

Mberengwa North MP Tafanana Zhou questioned why motorists were being arrested for reflectors yet some cars from neighbouring South Africa had no reflectors.

“What is government policy with regards to motorists that are being arrested for reflectors?  The vehicles might have in-built reflectors but they are required to put extra reflectors?”

Mhona told Speaker Jacob Mudenda that because of careless drivers on the roads, police are required to arrest anyone who failed to abide by the road rules.

“Indeed, we have unscrupulous road users. Because of the ongoing programme, the police search for items like reflectors.  Vehicles that come into this country must have reflectors that we in this country can recommend.

“We have realised that there are some people who put extra lights or spotlights on their vehicles.  Such people will also be arrested as we work in close collaboration with the Minister of Home Affairs, including motorists who may not have their number plates.  They must obey the road regulations,” Mhona said.

In a supplementary question, Zhou added: “Indeed the minister has to ensure that

our licencing meets the SADC standards. Some of the vehicles that come from South Africa may not have those reflectors, which means they breach the regulations that we expect. Do you not think it is retrogressive because we oppose the SADC standards?

Mhona responded: “Indeed as SADC, there are things that we agreed to synchronise and I believe as SADC, we will harmonise, be it the signs and regulations and all others.

“We expect to have a harmonised road regulation system. Indeed, some of those vehicles may have reflectors that may not be visible at night and sometimes may be visible.

“The intention is to preserve life. That is the reason why we ensure that we have those reflectors to show whether it is the front or the rear side, this is additional security. I believe we will discuss with the Home Affairs minister so that we may not be retrogressive.

“We agree that we are human beings and if there is an outcry with regards to this matter, it means we have to look into it with the Minister of Home Affairs.”

In response to Bindura North MP Kenneth Musanhi who asked if it was possible for Zimbabwe to invoke the four-way vehicle regulation as a law pertinent to the SADC region on the four-way stop, the Transport minister said: “Sometimes we have motorists who drive against oncoming vehicles. We will try, as a matter of urgency, to ensure that we campaign and the motorists to obey the road traffic regulations that are also found in the SADC region.

“It is true that we need to obey the same law whereby motorists respect the vehicle that reaches the intersection first,” said the Minister.

As road traffic accidents have increased in the past few years, government is enforcing road regulations by way of police blitz and holding awareness campaigns by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and other ways to save lives.