Alarming corruption levels at VID offices

with learner drivers being squeezed of extra money to get proficiency certificates in spite of having proved themselves competent drivers in practical tests, a senior Government official admitted yesterday.
Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Permanent Secretary, Mr Partson Mbiriri, yesterday said although Government condemned corruption at VID, the levels of such practices were alarming, adding measures were on the cards to curb it.
“We are on record as indicated that we do not tolerate any form of corruption. Corruption levels have grown quite high and have been taken for granted. We are, however, working against the situation and where cases are reported, we have taken action,” Mr Mbiriri said.
He said last year alone 22 VID officials were fired for corruptly issuing drivers licences.
“The number of officials alone shows the extent of the problem and challenge. The challenge persists. We are determined to insist on certain norms and stick to what is acceptable,” he said.
The vice, he said, started at driving schools and extended to the learner drivers and later VID officials.
Mr Mbiriri appealed to learner drivers to resist the demands for bribes and report to his ministry and assured the whistleblowers that they would be protected.
He said the ministry was set to introduce a system whereby driving schools were required to submit records of their learner drivers and instructors to the ministry.
“We hope that by next month records are submitted,” he said adding that these records would help the ministry in the event of an accident to track back the driving school, the instructor as well as the issuing officer of the licence.
He said this would enable the ministry to investigate the driving school and if need be, improve their standards or force them to close shop if they failed to comply.
“This should enable us to check those who did not pass the test in the event of an accident. We want a clear record of learners and the issuing officers,” Mr Mbiriri said.
Following tip-offs from members of the public, weeklong investigations by The Herald revealed that there is rampant “corruption” at VID depots countrywide and bribes have become part of the driving curriculum.
VID depots have of late been described as flea markets rather than licensing depots as most people turn to buying the licences.
So well-oiled is the system that would be drivers have to pay the instructors at their driving school who in turn pass the bribes to syndicates at VID.
Allegations are that the learner drivers who will not pay the “pass money” will be failed on a technicality by the examiner.
One of the tipsters, who obtained his licence in the past week, said that he was asked to pay $150.
“I went for a practical exam two months ago and I managed to reverse without hitting the drums, did my parallel parking, the hill start, the three-point-turn and returned to the depot without any mishap.
“To my surprise, the testing official then told me that I had failed because I had taken my left hand of the wheel at some point while on the road,” said the source.
According to the source, even after paying the bribe he was still tested for competence.
“I was warned that if I failed to show the required skills, I would fail even if I had paid a bribe. This is totally unfair. So in other words the VID and driving school officials involved in the rip-off have created the ‘pass tax’,” said one victim.
So far Mr Mbiriri said they had cleaned Chiredzi, Chinhoyi, Marondera and Nyamapanda where some officers were relieved off their duties over corruption charges.
Corruption manifesting itself in one form or another has long been a problem in Zimbabwe but some racketeers who land in court at times walk away with lighter sentences.
Last year, Government cancelled 199 drivers licences issued by the Chiredzi VID depot between January and June 2009 as part of measures to stamp out corruption.
Five VID officers were suspended at Marondera and Nyamapanda depots on allegations of corruption.
However, the public has said Government was not doing enough to deal with corruption.
Mr John Gumbo of Harare, who is also a victim of the corruption, said the graft was no longer perpetrated by individual opportunists, but organised crime conducted by Government officials abusing positions of trust.
“This is what is happening elsewhere in Africa in general, it is virtually impossible to get anything of a Government nature done without tendering a backhander. Institutionalised bribery is a way of life,” he said.
Another victim, who has since acquired a licence after paying a bribe and cannot be named, said although the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development was trying to curb corruption at the VID by moving the examiners it was not enough.
“Incredibly the ministry only responds to the racket by keeping examiners moving. This will not work as it is only spreading the racketeering,” he said.
A motorist, who paid US$200 to get a licence when he was a competent driver, said it was time for Government to expose the culprits and prosecute them.