Online Reporter
Debra Matabvu Harare Bureau
THE Government is fast-tracking the establishment of a road safety agency with powers to enforce road safety regulations, remove dangerous vehicles from the country’s roads and investigate major crashes as part of sweeping measures to curb rising road carnage following President Mnangagwa’s recent directive for urgent action.
The proposed agency, which will emerge from the transformation of the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), is also expected to introduce aviation industry-style safety management systems for public transport operators and large commercial fleets in a bid to prevent accidents.
TSCZ managing director Mr Munesu Munodawafa told Zimpapers that work on the transformation was underway under the guidance of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
President Mnangagwa recently directed Government departments and agencies to implement drastic and lasting solutions targeting reckless road user behaviour and unroadworthy vehicles after 24 people were killed in three major road accidents within five days last month.
Mr Munodawafa said the current legal framework limits TSCZ to road safety education and awareness campaigns, making it difficult to effectively tackle the growing accident burden.
“We concede that while all this is happening, everything will largely hinge on persuasion, which we believe at this stage, as a country, we now need to go beyond persuasion,” he said.
“In terms of what we think, from where we sit as a road safety promotion institution, we think the time has now come for Zimbabwe to have a lead road safety agency.”
Under the proposed framework, the agency would complement rather than replace the work already being undertaken by the police and other authorities.
Mr Munodawafa said the development would introduce a proactive approach to road safety by combining enforcement, research, accident investigation and policy development under one institution.
Unlike the current enforcement systems, which largely respond after offences or accidents have occurred, the new agency would analyse road safety data, identify emerging risks and recommend policy interventions aimed at preventing crashes.
“The agency will also have the authority, because it is now focusing on all five pillars of road safety, to analyse the data and actually influence policies as the lead agency,” he said.
“So, we are now taking a proactive approach to road safety, rather than just dealing with the offenders at the tail end of the problem. We seek to stop the problem from happening.”
The proposed agency would be empowered to issue tickets to operators of unroadworthy vehicles and compel them to undergo inspections by the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID).
According to Mr Munodawafa, the institution would also be authorised to remove accident wreckage and dangerously parked vehicles from roads, helping eliminate hazards that often contribute to secondary crashes.
“The whole idea and theme are to clear the roads, to remove any danger that may be on the roads and ensure that there is safe passage on our roads,” he said.
Currently, accident wreckage can remain on roadsides for days or even months in some instances because responsibility for removal often falls on those involved in the crash.
The authorities believe granting the agency powers to swiftly remove such obstacles would significantly improve road safety and traffic flow.
Aviation industry safety standards
Another key component of the proposed reforms is the introduction of aviation industry safety standards for commercial transport operators.
The Government, Mr Munodawafa said, was considering legislation requiring bus companies, haulage operators and other fleet owners to designate a “responsible competent person” accountable for vehicle safety and maintenance.
The individual would be legally responsible for ensuring vehicles are roadworthy before being deployed.
The model mirrors aviation industry practices where an accountable officer bears responsibility for passenger safety and regulatory compliance.
“What we are also saying should now happen for those operating large fleets,” said Mr Munodawafa.
“There should be somebody within the organisation whose role is to ensure that the buses are safe.”
Under the proposal, the designated officer would monitor vehicle conditions, identify mechanical defects, ensure timely repairs and prevent unsafe vehicles from entering service.
The measure is expected to close a major gap in fleet management, where responsibility for identifying defects often rests solely with drivers.
The authorities are also proposing that the agency be empowered to conduct in-depth investigations into major accidents.
Mr Munodawafa said current investigations often focus primarily on whether the driver or vehicle was at fault, leaving broader systemic issues unexplored.
The new approach would examine all possible contributing factors, including road design, infrastructure conditions, vehicle safety standards, operational practices and regulatory shortcomings.
“There should be suitably qualified persons who go and investigate and do a thorough investigation,” he said.
“The idea is not just for prosecution, which is the case now, but the idea is to influence policy so that you stop further occurrence of the same.”
He said lessons drawn from comprehensive crash investigations would help the authorities develop evidence-based interventions to prevent similar accidents in future.
Mr Munodawafa said Zimbabwe’s move towards establishing a lead road safety agency also aligns with regional commitments under the Africa Road Safety Charter, which became operational in March this year.
Article 4 of the charter requires African union member states to establish lead road safety agencies within three years.
“We are also pushing Zimbabwe to be one of the first countries to comply with that requirement in the Africa Road Safety Charter,” he said.
Mr Munodawafa described the establishment of the agency as the most important policy intervention needed to reduce accidents and fatalities.
“Zimbabwe now needs to put in place a lead road safety agency, one that will deal with all the five pillars of road safety,” he said.
“Once all the five pillars of road safety management are taken care of, we will definitely see a reduction in road carnage in Zimbabwe.”
Road traffic accidents are the third leading cause of death in Zimbabwe, claiming more than 2 000 lives annually, according to a recent Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development report.
