Online Reporter
Debra Matabvu and Freeman Razemba
THE newly installed traffic cameras — a key part of the Electronic Traffic Management System — have recorded more than 1,1 million incidents of vehicles committing traffic violations in the capital, Harare, since going live early this year, as the Government steps up road safety measures and enforcement of traffic laws.
The revelations come as the Government, through the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), has launched a road safety campaign to reduce road traffic accidents.
Harare currently has 16 traffic surveillance camera sites at key intersections along major roads.
The cameras detect speeding, failure to obey road signs, using mobile phones while driving and travelling without fastened seatbelts, among other breaches of traffic regulations.
The Government intends to instal more than 300 high-tech cameras in Harare before the programme is expanded to other cities across the country.
The cameras are part of Phase One of the national Smart Traffic Management and Surveillance Programme being implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, with TelOne serving as the technical partner.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Ambassador Raphael Faranisi told The Sunday Mail that, as of the beginning of this month, more than 1,1 million road traffic violations had been flagged.
He, however, said despite the huge number of violations recorded, no penalties had yet been issued as every offence was undergoing rigorous verification to ensure fairness and accuracy.
Some of the recorded violations, he said, may have occurred when traffic lights were temporarily overridden by police officers directing traffic at busy intersections, while in other cases, unclear or faded road markings may have contributed to motorists unintentionally breaching traffic regulations.
“As of last week, we had recorded about 1,1 million vehicles that had violated traffic laws, and these were recorded on the various traffic cameras installed across the city,” he said.
“However, we are still validating these offences. Probably at the time the violation was committed, the intersection was being controlled by a police officer.
“Then, in some instances, maybe the markings on the road were not clear enough, so those are some of the verifications that we are working on.”
The verification is expected to eliminate erroneous records before any enforcement action is taken, ensuring that motorists are only held accountable for genuine violations.
The Electronic Traffic Management System was introduced as part of the Government’s broader efforts to modernise traffic law enforcement, reduce road accidents and improve compliance with traffic regulations through the use of digital technology.
Unlike conventional traffic policing, the system enables continuous monitoring of roads, allowing the authorities to detect offences around the clock while reducing reliance on manual enforcement.
The initiative also seeks to improve traffic flow in urban centres, particularly in Harare, where congestion has increased significantly due to a growing vehicle population.
The camera network provides real-time monitoring of traffic movements, enabling quicker identification of congestion, major chokepoints and road incidents.
Road safety ahead of holidays
Road safety remains a major concern in Zimbabwe, with human error accounting for the majority of road traffic accidents recorded annually.
The Government believes the introduction of technology-driven enforcement will encourage motorists to comply with traffic regulations, ultimately reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities.
The ongoing validation process also reflects the Government’s intention to ensure that the system is implemented transparently and fairly.
Officials said factors such as malfunctioning traffic lights, temporary traffic control measures and inadequate road signage are all being considered before violations are confirmed.
The system is expected to become a key component of Zimbabwe’s road safety strategy, complementing conventional traffic policing while promoting greater discipline among motorists.
The Electronic Traffic Management System forms part of the country’s broader digital transformation agenda, which seeks to harness technology to improve the delivery of public services, enhance law enforcement and build smarter, safer cities.
Officially launching the 2026 Heroes and Defence Forces Holidays Road Safety Enforcement and Educational Awareness Campaign in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central province, last week, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said about 94 percent of road crashes in Zimbabwe are directly linked to inappropriate human decisions.
This year’s campaign launch was attended by TSCZ officials, legislators, the police, senior Government officials and transport operators, among other stakeholders.
The drive is running under the theme “Be patient or you could end up a patient in hospital”.
“Our theme this time around was informed by the disturbing fact that up to 94 percent of road crashes on our roads in Zimbabwe are a direct result of inappropriate human decisions,” said Minister Mhona.
“We, therefore, realised that the time has come for us to speak directly to our road users through this message, which I believe will resonate with many and positively influence the manner in which we ply our roads this holiday . . .
“It is that time of the year again when we anticipate that thousands of Zimbabweans will be travelling across the country to pay respects to our national heroes, visit family and friends, attend church services, join in community events and spend time with loved ones. Indeed, this is a season where our drivers should exhibit all aspects of reducing human error to reduce road crashes.”
Historically, there is an increase in traffic crashes during holiday periods, with most attributed to human error.
Current trends have shown that a crash occurs every 15 minutes, resulting in five lives lost daily on average, while about 38 people are injured on the roads every day.
“Conscious of the fact that the cost of road crashes in Zimbabwe averages around US$400 million per year, the Government, therefore, remains committed to implementing policies and programmes that promote safer roads, save lives and support sustainable national development,” added Minister Mhona.
“We believe the opportunity cost of the high rate of accidents — money spent supporting accident victims, lost production, supply chain delays and damage to property — is simply too high and must be avoided at all costs.”
“Traffic enforcement is not a punishment”
Speaking at the same event, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe reminded motorists that traffic enforcement was not a punishment but was meant to save lives.
“So, many (police) officers will spend these holidays away from their families so that millions of Zimbabweans can travel safely,” he said.
“They will be deployed nationwide to fulfil one of Government’s most important constitutional obligations: the protection of human life. This entails enforcing speed limits, inspecting vehicle roadworthiness or ensuring compliance with traffic regulations, regulating traffic and assisting the travelling public. Hence, my appeal is for us all not to view traffic enforcement as punishment.”
In his address, TSCZ board chairperson Mr Kura Sibanda said they remain committed to fulfil their mandate of promoting road safety through public education and awareness campaigns.
He said simple actions such as wearing seatbelts, observing speed limits, maintaining safe following distances, obeying traffic signs and showing courtesy to other road users can save lives and prevent unnecessary tragedies.
