Police have said the new electronic traffic management system (ETMS) has entered the validation phase, with about 4.8 million traffic violations flagged before penalties are imposed.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the validation process involves examining video footage, vehicle registration numbers and details of alleged offences to confirm whether traffic regulations were breached.
“When we talk of validation, what do we mean? We mean that the videos are captured, the number plate is captured, and the date, time and place or site where a particular motorist would have violated the traffic regulations are recorded,” he said.
The system, which became fully operational over the weekend, uses intelligent surveillance cameras, automatic number-plate recognition and central databases to detect and record suspected offences.
More than 20 sites in Harare have already been connected, and it is expected to improve traffic management in the central business district and other urban centres.
Commissioner Nyathi said that the validation phase is intended to ensure evidence is accurate before motorists are notified and required to pay fines.
Motorists found to have committed an offence are expected to receive a notification on their mobile phone, allowing them to log into the system, view footage of the incident and see the applicable fine.
Offences being targeted include driving against oncoming traffic, jumping red lights and disregarding continuous white lines.
Commissioner Nyathi said the technology is aimed at motorists who deliberately flout regulations, not law-abiding drivers.
“It will not punish Zimbabweans who are law-abiding citizens, but it will decisively deal with reckless driving conduct,” he said.
He said the system would also help address public concerns about corruption and abuse of discretion by some officers during traffic enforcement.
“People have been complaining that police officers are compromised because some of them end up using their discretion and some end up accepting bribes,” he said.
“But with this system, which is fully monitored through the command centre, everything that is happening is captured. We are certainly eliminating the issue of the human factor and corruption.”
He urged motorists not to panic, saying authorities will carry out a comprehensive awareness campaign to explain how the system works.
“We want to advise Zimbabweans not to panic, and to be fully conversant with what is happening,” he said.
The electronic traffic management system is being implemented by the government through the police and its partners, including TelOne, to improve road discipline and curb violations.
More: The Herald
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