Smart govt fleet system targets graft, misuse of state vehicles

The works and transport ministry has launched a new web-based fleet management system designed to root out reckless driving, corruption and theft that have crippled government’s vehicle management for years.Unveiling the system in Windhoek, minister Veikko Nekundi issued a stern warning to civil servants.“If you are found to be driving recklessly today and again tomorrow, causing accidents and losses to the state, you will be banned from driving government cars. The system will help us hold individuals accountable and eliminate abuse of state property.”He said the platform will track every government vehicle, part and service transaction, ending decades of poor record-keeping, theft and double-dipping that have cost taxpayers millions.“If you’re reckless, you’ll be banned. If you steal or manipulate procurement records, you’ll be exposed. The system tracks everything,” Nekundi warned.“We had situations where one car was allocated up to ten tyres or multiple batteries in a few days, with no way to verify it,” he added. “Some employees ordered parts that were never delivered, yet the government paid for them. Others swapped quality tyres for cheaper ones. This system will expose those practices once and for all.”Nekundi said the state has also lost money through interest and penalties on expired vehicle licences and untracked maintenance schedules. The new system will automatically alert officials to upcoming disc renewals and service deadlines.“The savings will come from ending the previous abuses because in the absence of a reliable and efficient administrative system, that’s where the losses were,” he said.Transparency ensured The minister described the digital platform as a milestone in modernising Namibia’s public administration.“This is not just a system, it’s a tool for accountability, transparency and saving taxpayer money. It’s about restoring the credibility of government.”Nekundi also described the system as a “rebirth of accountability”.“Some people benefited from the old way of doing things. Those days are over,” he said. “Nobody should abandon the system for convenience. This is about restoring trust and modernising how the government operates,” he said.Sam Kadhikwa, director of centralised support services in the ministry, said the new platform replaces a system that has been in place since 1999.He said it will allow officials to log in from anywhere in the world, making vehicle management seamless, transparent and tamper-proof.“Now, everything is automated. If tyres are fitted to a vehicle, the system records it instantly. You can no longer fit the same tyres twice or falsify entries,” Kadhikwa explained.In-house Kadhikwa also revealed that the ministry chose to develop the system in-house after discovering widespread competition and inflated costs among private service providers.“We initially wanted to buy an off-the-shelf system, but there was infighting among service providers. Everyone saw a lucrative opportunity,” he said. “So, we used our internal IT capacity. It’s cheaper and more sustainable, and we can keep improving it ourselves.”He said the homegrown solution gives the ministry full control over updates and ensures long-term functionality.“Unlike outsourced systems that become obsolete after a few years, this one can evolve. As long as we have skilled developers, we can keep refining and improving it,” he said.

Smart govt fleet system targets graft, misuse of state vehicles

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-11-07

Please login to leave a comment

Smart govt fleet system targets graft, misuse of state vehicles

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-11-07

Please login to leave a comment

Subscription Required to Access Content ×

Login

Subscription Required to Access Content