Transport Minister Felix Mhona has defended the requirement for motorists to carry spare wheels, saying the rule remains essential for road safety despite advances in modern vehicle technology.
The issue was raised in Parliament after MP Zivai Mhetu questioned why some motorists were allegedly being arrested for driving vehicles without spare wheels, particularly newer imported models designed without storage space for them.
“There are some motorists who are being arrested for not having a spare wheel, but when these cars are being imported from other countries, they have no space for a spare wheel,” Mhetu said. He asked what government policy applied to such vehicles and how authorities were ensuring drivers were not unfairly penalised.
Responding in Parliament, Mhona said the law requiring motorists to carry spare wheels remained important in the event of punctures or other tyre-related emergencies.
“Sometimes this law is very important for us as road users,” he said. “When we face a challenge with a wheel, maybe due to low pressure or a puncture, we use the spare wheel to alleviate the problem.”
He urged drivers of newer vehicle models to find ways of carrying spare wheels, even if the cars were not originally designed with dedicated storage space.
“For the latest cars being imported without space to put a spare wheel, I really encourage drivers to have a place to put that wheel because it is very important when they are travelling,” Mhona said. “Everyone needs to find a place to put that spare wheel.”
However, MP Leslie Mhangwa challenged the minister’s position, arguing that some modern vehicles are fitted with run-flat tyres, which are designed to allow a vehicle to continue travelling for up to 100km after a puncture.
“The design of these new cars is that they run on what is called run-flat tyres,” Mhangwa said. “So forcing such cars to have a spare wheel, would we not be fighting technological advancement?”
In response, Mhona said that while run-flat tyres offered temporary mobility, they could still fail completely in certain circumstances.
“You can only talk of a flat tyre when it is the normal course of business. If it ruptures, you need to replace it,” he said.
The minister maintained that the requirement was intended to protect motorists rather than serve as a policing measure.
“This is for your own safety,” he said. “We are saying to the people of Zimbabwe, you need to carry this in the event that the other tyre is ruptured. It is not for the police, it is for us.”