Minister of works and transport Veikko Nekundi says Namibia will soon have a road traffic system that can record the number plates of vehicles skipping red traffic lights.
“Very soon, we will have a digital road traffic system,” he says.
For this to realise, the law will be amended, he says.
“We need to be serious to curb incidents,” the minister said at the official launch of the Oshakati Town Council’s Traffic Law Enforcement Unit yesterday.
Nekundi said the establishment of the unit is not to punish drivers, but to promote road safety.
He said roads can be dangerous infrastructure.
“It is important we use roads responsibly,” Nekundi said.
He said the unit was established through local authority laws calling on local authorities to regulate traffic laws and by-laws to foster good road use behaviour.
Nekundi said if road users do not give others the chance to cross over on national roads, he would not hesitate to put up speed humps on such roads.
“We need to respect each other,” he said.
According to Nekundi, Oshakati is currently growing at a fast pace and its traffic law-enforcement unit should therefore be supported.
He called on traffic officials to be strict in their duties and to not accept bribes.
Oshakati mayor Leonard Hango at the event said the unit’s realisation was supported by the Ministry of Words and Transport, the Road Fund Administration, the Roads Authority and the police.
Oshana governor Hophni Iipinge said the unit would legally not only deal with people who commit offences, but would also address illegal street vendors.
He said the law would force all bus drivers to load at Omatala bus terminal and illegal street sellers to sell at Omatala and other designated sites.
