By Petronella Sibeene
WINDHOEK
Joel Kaapanda, the Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, will today release nationwide figures of how many people infringed on road rules and regulations during the recent Easter Holiday in which hundreds broke the law.
By yesterday, relevant officials from different stakeholders in the Xupifa Eemwenyo project were working around-the-clock compiling and analyzing data related to reported cases that were brought before courts countrywide.
Hundreds of people across the country had their journeys cut short and instead appeared before court in different parts of the country during the long Easter weekend after they were found contravening laws regulating national roads.
Court appearances mainly took place in towns such as Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Otjiwarongo, Ondangwa, and Oshakati. Mobile courts are also in use in places such as Karasburg, Oshana and Omusati.
In Windhoek E-Court was filled with motorists who mostly pleaded guilty to different charges such as driving without licenses, use of a cell-phone while operating a vehicle and not fastening seatbelts.
The cases of those who could not appear in court by Monday before 21h45, had to be postponed to yesterday putting a strain on the already overburdened justice system.
The Xupifa Eemwenyo pilot project seeks to intensify efforts to fight the alarming rate of road accidents in the country.
Traffic law enforcement officers have acted tough on motor operators who failed to adhere to road regulations. For the first time in many years, this years’ Easter break has not suffered many accidents, Traffic Management Unit Superintendent, Gerhard Kakonda, said.
Law enforcers during their operations checked for the fitness of drivers, vehicle roadworthiness, overloading, seatbelts, cellphone use and other relevant requirements for road users.
Although the legal instruments that addresses aspects related to how the road should be used, vehicle registration, driver and vehicle fitness, driver training and testing are in place non-compliance to these rules and regulations by motorists has always been visible.
Stakeholders in the campaign include the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication, the National Road Safety Council, Roads Authority, Namibia Police, Windhoek City Police, Namibia Bus and Taxi Association, Ministry of Justice and the office of the Attorney, Ministry of Safety and Security, the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, and the Global Road Safety Partnership.