SWAKOPMUND: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa, stated that the proposed Vehicle Mass Bill and the Roads Bill have been revised to address critical issues such as overloading and road safety.

According to Mutorwa, this is to ensure that Namibia’s roads and infrastructure are used responsibly to guarantee the safety of all road users.

The Vehicle Mass Bill aims to regulate overloading cases, among other issues, which not only endanger the lives of road users through accidents but also harm the roads.

‘It has been proven that overloading, especially by trucks, may reduce a road’s lifespan from between five to 20 years.

Namibia, as a preferred cross-border route for its road transporters, has invested billions in infrastructure. With the proposed law, we aim for overloading fines and penalty fees to be reinvested in road infrastructure maintenance,’ the minister noted.

Mutorwa made these remarks on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the 31st Intermodal African Conf
erence held in Swakopmund.

He emphasised that logistics and transportation management are crucial for international trade, adding that Namibia has ensured the upholding of these sectors for the smooth and efficient transportation of goods and services across the country and beyond.

‘The government is working hard to ensure that our infrastructure is safeguarded and maintained for the sustainable efficiency of the transportation and logistics sector,’ Mutorwa added.

Namibia Ports Authority (Namport) Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Kanime, explained that African ports have long been plagued by delays in turnaround times for both ships and cargo, limitations in cargo handling capacity and infrastructure, and high charges for port users.

‘This unfortunately negatively impacts the economic development of our economies as working capital is unnecessarily tied up in goods and commodities, lying in port warehouses, and the competitiveness of our products on the world markets is eroded by, among other factors, the
high logistics charges.

Namibia has thus set herself a goal to be a logistics hub for the Southern African region, in support of its national drive towards economic development and poverty alleviation,’ he added.

The intermodal conference serves as a platform for all stakeholders in the transport and logistics industry to converge, exchange knowledge, share experience and explore opportunities for collaboration and cooperation.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency