The government has introduced a National Speed Monitoring System (NSMS) to monitor public service vehicles in real time as part of efforts to combat speeding and reduce road accidents.
The system was launched in Harare and requires public service vehicles to have approved speed-limiting and speed-monitoring devices installed in accordance with Statutory Instrument 118 of 2023.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said the system would improve enforcement and accountability while giving authorities real-time information on the movement and speed of public service vehicles.
“This initiative is not simply about tracking vehicles on a map. It is about saving lives, improving accountability and strengthening public confidence in our transport system,” Mhona said.
He said the programme supports the government’s goal of reducing road deaths by 25 per cent by 2030.
According to Mhona, information collected through the system will also assist authorities with transport planning and monitoring compliance among bus and commuter omnibus operators.
He stressed that the NSMS should not only be seen as a policing tool, but as part of a wider road safety programme involving Government, transport companies, drivers and passengers.
The new system is one of several measures being introduced to improve road safety. These include SI 119 of 2023, which addresses driver licensing, and SI 10 of 2025, which restricts drivers under 30 years old and those with less than five years of driving experience from operating public passenger vehicles.
The government is also working on the proposed Road Accident Fund Bill and Road Traffic Authority Bill.
Other initiatives include the Smart Electronic Traffic Management System, 18 VID smart vehicles fitted with equipment such as brake roller testers, breathalysers for police officers and the positioning of ambulances at tollgates and accident-prone locations.
The government is also rehabilitating 23 weighbridges to strengthen vehicle inspections and road safety enforcement.
Public service vehicle operators have been given a three-month grace period to install the required monitoring equipment.
Mhona warned that enforcement would begin once the grace period ends.
“Upon expiry of the grace period, the law will take its full course. It is now my pleasure to officially declare the National Speed Monitoring System launched,” he said.
ZRP national spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi welcomed the system, saying it would assist police in dealing with speeding among public service vehicles.
“As ZRP, we welcome the National Speed Monitoring System. It will assist us to effectively enforce traffic laws and curb speeding by public service vehicles, which has been a major cause of fatal road accidents,” Nyathi said.
He urged operators to comply before the grace period expires.
“We urge all operators to comply within the grace period, because after that we will be arresting and impounding non-compliant vehicles,” he said.