The National Council Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Housing recently held a stakeholder engagement in Rundu to discuss urgent measures to address rising road accidents.
The Chairperson of the National Council Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Housing, George !Garab highlighted the importance of the engagement to ensure road safety in Namibia's road network systems.
The committee further praised the traffic unit for the measures taken to reduce road accidents.
"The success of this motion will be measured not by the votes we produce, but by several fewer clashes, fewer fatalities, and greater confidence in the Namibia transport system."
According to the police regional commander in the Kavango East Region, Commissioner Andreas Haingura, the major road safety challenges include unlicensed drivers, overloading, speeding, reckless and negligent driving, as well as driving under the influence of alcohol.
"A person will just, as Honourable was saying, when you came, when you enter Mururani from here, people and animals are on the roads. Our people here in Kavango East, we don't have personal safety attitudes. My safety should come first. Let me look from left to right before I cross the road. If we can change the mindset of personal safety to start off, I think some of these things we can resolve."
"During the period from January 2026 to June 2026, we can see that the clashes are 234. Of course, if you look at the two previous statistics, you will see that there is a reduction. The fatalities are nine, serious injuries 28, slight injuries 44, drink and drive and arrest 48, pedestrians 20, and accidents with animals that were involved 30," stated Deputy Commissioner Lucia Kahuure.
The police at the meeting also shared their recommendations.
"To mitigate the situation, it is important that we amend the traffic law policy so that it provides warnings for some of the traffic offences to warrant the suspension or temporary suspension of the licences."
"Seven-seaters came into transportation where their speed limit is not controlled. So how do we control it? The act says seven seaters were not supposed to transport long distance, but the committee is here; the seven seaters are on our roads without limits, they fly like no one's business."
"They don't want even to produce a driver's licence for you; they will make gestures like they will call your superior, just to report as if you have done something wrong, but you are just trying to enforce the law as it is."
To further strengthen road safety and enforcement, plans to establish traffic law enforcement units and Ndama, Kehemu, Ndiyona, Mukwe and Omega are in the pipeline.