Journalists undergo road safety training

Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent

JOURNALISTS in Harare have undergone a road safety training aimed at deepening their knowledge on the importance of road safety, infrastructure and alternative mobility in the country.

The workshop, organised by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), is part of the Road Safety Reporting Initiative, which aims to further empower journalists as they communicate their message and stories that help reduce deaths from crashes.

Speaking during the workshop, TSCZ managing director Mr Munesu Munodawafa said their goal was to empower journalists to report beyond fatalities and injuries only but focus more on road safety.

“Circumstances that occur in and around our highways have led us to conduct this important workshop with the hope of curbing the nature and extent of the traffic safety problems that we face as a nation,” said Mr Munodawafa.

“This workshop therefore, provides us with an opportunity of proffering solutions to the road safety challenges which have become an issue of concern to most Zimbabweans. We assure you that your contribution to the development of a reliable road safety ecosystem will be taken seriously as that is paramount to the achievement of National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), as well as sustainable economic development goals of our country.

“The aim is to make media experts to also focus on developing Journalists’ skills to produce data- driven and compelling stories with the depth and capacity to influence policymakers and to strengthen journalists’ knowledge and expand their access to experts with the goal of raising awareness and spurring dialogue around critical – yet underreported – road safety issues.”