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Mr Christopher Dube

Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter
BULAWAYO will today start installing new road signs that are in line with Sadc traffic standards following a Government directive.

The Sadc-Road Traffic Signs Manual (Sadc RTSM) became part of the country’s laws last year, and implementation is underway.

Statutory Instrument 41 of 2016, which was gazetted last year by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Joram Gumbo, directed that the country should comply with the Sadc road traffic safety manual standards. The move is meant to reduce road accidents not only in Zimbabwe but the entire Sadc region.

Bulawayo’s Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube yesterday said the installation of new road signs in the city will start today and the first area to be covered is the city’s Central Business District.

“Council will be installing signs in the whole city in line with the Sadc road traffic safety manual standards. The public is therefore advised to exercise due caution when driving as workers install these new road signs starting on September 18, 2017, in the CBD. The public is requested to acquaint themselves with the new signs and their implication to ensure safety of all road users,” said Mr Dube.

The principal director in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development Engineer Eric Mufaro Gumbie said the installation of road signs was an ongoing project.

“The installation of Sadc road signs started with the upgrading of the Plumtree-Mutare highway and the process is ongoing. The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) is working with the Department of Roads and is planning to finance installation of Sadc signs on the country’s main roads.

“The level of funding is being discussed and will be advised,” said Eng Gumbie.

The TSCZ recently came up with a new Highway Code to replace the 1979 document, in a move meant to harmonise traffic signs with those in other Sadc countries.

The Sadc secretariat introduced the road signs after realising that there was a need for modern day approaches to road safety management.

According to Statutory Instrument 41 of 2016, the lettering of the road traffic signs should substantially conform to one standard letter styles detailed in the Sadc road traffic signs manual and shall be of maximum size permitted by the space available and the message to be displayed. — @pamelashumba1