VID goes digital
By Delicious Mathuthu and Dumisani Ndlovu
The Vehicle Inspection Department (VID), has gone digital and will now conduct its license testing services electronically as part of efforts to minimise corruption.
The programme, which has been commissioned nationally, will see license applicants being tested digitally at the VID offices with minimum interaction with VID testing officers.
Speaking to Kwedu News, Midlands Provincial Chief Vehicle Inspector, Eustina Nyathi, said apart from combating corruption, the move by government is part of technological advancement efforts to meet government’s Vision 2030 policy.
“As government, we have had problems with issues of corruption and I think you are all aware.
“When you hear VID on radio or newspapers people associate it with corruption, especially on the licenses, as if the department does not have people who can take action.
“It has been taken upon by the authorities to minimise human interface to curb corruption because thats where the problem is.
“Also going towards the President’s mantra of vision 2030 middle income economy that he is always talking about.
“We are also going towards globalisation as technology is fast growing and we should be able to move with technology,” she said.
Nyathi said the E-test ensures that one is independent of someone else’s influence in the sense that they write their tests electronically and the results are released immediately.
The new technology, she said, reduces chances of cheating and gives some of the VID officers to do other work.
She said the only interaction with the examiner will be, maybe, when the applicant for the test is computer illiterate, just showing them how to use the machine.
Nyathi said they will be changing examiners for almost every applicant and the tests will be done from VID offices, not online.
On the registration part, she said they are now doing biometric registration for successful candidates.
The VID software used was developed by Government through the Transport Ministry Information Technology Department working with a software company from Harare, 1010 Technologies, to implement the upgrade.
VID also hinted on advancing the technology to road tests where computers and cameras will be used.
She also added that the technology will assist senior officials to easily monitor what will be happening on the ground from their offices and improve the quality of drivers being produced.
“From this development we expect to have better drivers,” she said.
The department is also mooting on conducting tests in local languages in the near future arguing that driving is not an academic exercise but a skill hence the only need is understanding road rules.
Kwedu Classics
Your story our story