Copying South Africa: Zimbabwe to Introduce Road Accident Fund to Compensate Victims
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Felix Mhona has announced plans to copy South Africa and introduce the Road Accident Fund (RAF) to compensate victims of road accidents.
Mhona disclosed this development after receiving the award for Best Performing Minister of the Year 2024.
Speaking to journalists after being named Best Performing Minister of the Year 2024, Mhona credited President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership for the ministry’s success.
“We have now scoped our roads and are on our fingertips so that we just need to execute with speed. I’m happy that we can only do this if we have got a visionary leader. We are happy that we are working, listening to what our great leader President Emmerson Mnangagwa is championing towards vision 2030,” Mhona said.
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Tougher Laws to Curb Reckless Driving
When questioned about measures his ministry is taking to reduce road accidents, Mhona revealed that they are collaborating with other government ministries to develop strict laws aimed at punishing reckless drivers.
“Tinonzwa kushushikana. Chandinofarira ndechekuti hatishande tiri toga tine yamunonzwa pachirungu inonzi whole of government. Tinoda kurovedzera kuti tiise mitemo yakasimba inoranga zvakanyanya vanenge vakanganisa. Saka muchaona tichishanda nebandiko remapurisa, tichashanda nebandiko reLegal Affairs and Justice kuti tinge tichipa murango wakakodzera nekuparwa kunenge kwaitwa mhosva,” he explained.
Reckless Driving and Not Roads Blamed for Rising Accidents
Mhona attributed the rise in accidents to reckless driving rather than the condition of the roads, noting that recent incidents have occurred on well-maintained roads.
“Tirikuona kuti vatyairi varikutyaira vasina hanya izvo zvinova ndozvakukonzeresa kuti njodzi dziwande pamugwagwa. Panosuwisa zvikuru ndepekuti kare vanhu vaiti migwagwa yacho paiitika tsaona yainge isina kunaka asi ikozvino ukada kuona muzhinji murikuitika tsaona idzi mugwagwa unenge wakanaka. Zvichireva izvo kuti isu tikashaya hanya sevanhu vanenge vachitakura vanhu ruzhinji rweZimbabwe tichiramba tichikonzeresa njodzi,” he argued.
Zimbabwe to Introduce Road Accident Fund to Compensate Victims
In addition to crafting tougher laws, Mhona emphasized the introduction of the Road Accident Fund to support victims. He explained:
“Asi chandinoda kutenda kumhuri yeZimbabwe ndechekuti tirikuona kuti Hurumende kuti izvitakure mutoro uyu iri yega inoremerwa saka pane inonzi Road Accident Fund yatirikumhanyidzana nayo kuti timisikidze kuti avo vanenge varasikirwa nevadikani vavo vange vachiwana vachiripirwa kuti vana vanenge vasiiwa kana vachienda kuchikoro vange vachikwanisa kuramba vachienda mberi nedzidzo.”
However, Mhona did not disclose how the government plans to finance the fund. In South Africa, the RAF is funded through a levy on fuel used for road transport.