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Esinathy Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT is working to ensure that the Electronic Traffic Management System meant to reduce road traffic accidents is introduced urgently, the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Ambassador Cain Mathema, has said.

The ETMS is an integrated computerised traffic system which will see the installation of digital cameras and other modern gadgets on the country’s roads and record accidents, generate dockets and gather statistics electronically.

The Minister said this would lead to effective detection of traffic offences and curtail vehicle thefts, bring sanity and curb corrupt activities on the roads.

He said the system would also improve the administration of justice.

“The country continues to lose more and more precious lives due to carnage on our roads, mainly emanating from road rage and human error. Time has certainly come for all of us, Government and all stakeholders, to join hands and put an end to this calamity on our roads,” said Ambassador Mathema.

“To this end, Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage will intensify its support to the police in order to speedily finalise the ETMS, which will see the installation of digital cameras and other modern gadgets at traffic intersections and also along the country’s highways.”

“The project that has been on the cards for the past two years will reduce revenue leakages as the new system will usher in real-time monitoring of all our traffic deployments.

“The system will integrate all transport stakeholders like the police, Vehicle Inspection Department, Zimbabwe National Roads Administration, Road Motor Transport and Central Vehicle Registry to bring to an end traffic management challenges,” said the Minister.

Last year the nation was plunged into mourning after many people perished in road traffic accidents, mainly attributed to human error.
Ambassador Mathema said Government is mindful of the current challenges being experienced by police in traffic law enforcement, primarily due to increasing volumes of vehicles across the country.

“I am also conscious of the fast pace at which sanity has deteriorated in our once revered cities and towns, especially Harare, due to illegal private taxis, the so called ‘mshikashika’ vehicles, and other motorists who just find it difficult to adhere to road rules,” he said.

“It is sad that lives are being lost every day through road traffic rules accidents, mainly emanating from road rage and human error.”

The Minister said Government is also working hard to ensure the speedy dualisation of major highways as evidenced by current progress on the Chirundu-Beitbridge and Mutare-Plumtree Highways. – @esinathy_essira