The National Council Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Housing had an engagement with the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Roads Authority (RA) and the Ministry of Health and Social Services to discuss the motion on the urgent need for critical measures to combat the rising road accident crisis in the country.
RA revealed that there are about 700 casualties on an annual basis due to road accidents.
The Chairperson of the Committee, George !Garab, said road safety is not merely a transport issue but also a public health, development, and governance priority.
He said the road crises continue to claim lives, devastate families, and impose significant social and economic costs, adding that these incidents are preventable through collaboration and evidence-based dialogue.
“We seek practical and sustainable solutions that will strengthen road safety across Namibia. Our discussions are guided by the Safe System approach, which promotes safer roads, safer vehicles, responsible road users' behaviour, effective law enforcement, appropriate speed management, and efficient post-crash emergency response.”
The Chief Executive Officer of the Roads Authority, Mbahupu Tjivikua, attributed causes of accidents to negligence, weather conditions, and road infrastructure.
“Road crashes are preventable, and there is a human error or negligence on that part. So I think we need to start to separate the two. We have serious problems on our roads, especially when it comes to overspeeding, drunk and driving, overloading, and violation of road signs and road signals.”
Some members of the Committee stated that the majority of drivers involved in accidents are C1 driver license holders, which was confirmed by the Deputy Director for Transportation Regulation in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Damien Mabengano.
“Currently, we have made some amendments following stakeholder consultations. The proposals focused on how the regulations should be structured, and we have incorporated them. The process of making the changes is underway. It needs to be done gradually, starting with the first stage, where you are required to learn driving, and gradually progressing to the track.”