Translation of Highway Code in progress: Minister

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THE Highway Code is being translated into all the country’s 16 official languages in line with the new Constitution in an ongoing review process, Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Obert Mpofu has said.

THE Highway Code is being translated into all the country’s 16 official languages in line with the new Constitution in an ongoing review process, Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Obert Mpofu has said.

NQOBANI NDLOVU STAFF REPORTER

The Highway Code is currently available only in English.

Mpofu said all languages would be accommodated during the on-going review of the Highway Code, adding that the Zimbabwe Traffic Safety Council (ZTSC) was handling the process.

“The programme of correcting the Highway Code is actually work in progress,” he told MPs last week.

“It is being done by the ZTSC and they have held meetings in all the 10 provinces in the country to review the Highway Code so that all the languages spoken in Zimbabwe are accommodated.”

 THE HIGHWAY CODE
THE HIGHWAY CODE

He was responding to a question by Spiwe Muchaneta on the progress his ministry has made in revising the Highway Code “because our drivers are both literate and illiterate and we speak different languages in this country”.

The new Constitution recognises Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda and Xhosa as official languages in Zimbabwe.

Mpofu added: “I can elaborate on that madam Speaker; we are reviewing the Highway Code through a consultative process that is currently being undertaken throughout the country by the ZTSC and other stakeholders, including driving schools.

“I want to thank the honourable MP for raising that question. It is a question of national concern which needs to be addressed and we are trying to address it.”