Car scheme for civil servants unveiled

Japanese vehicles.

Interested civil servants will pay initial deposits as low as US$800, depending with the make of the car they want and will settle the balance over 36 months, while driving the car.

The company has so far delivered 167 vehicles and targets to increase output to 1 000 vehicles this month.
Executive director Mr Mbazima said to avoid being duped, interested civil servants should pay their money through the Salary Service Bureau.

“For one to enter, they have to sign a stop order form, authorising the SSB to effect monthly deductions in favour of Bretton Motors upon receipt of the vehicle,” he said.

“Monthly repayments will be effected directly from SSB, with all payments being made directly into an escrow account. Though one will be using the vehicle, it would remain the property of Bretton Motors until fully paid for.”

He said the vehicles would be fully insured, with each applicant having life insurance.
Turning to delivery timeframes, Mr Mbazima said his company has a monthly import capacity — backed by its logistical partners — of 2 500 motor vehicles per month with a lead time of three months.

“A vehicle delivered from Japan to the Port of Durban has a delivery time of between four to eight weeks. We intend to build up deliveries to meet the demand of thousands of Government workers,” he said.
Mr Mbazima said the move would restore the professional status of civil servants who earn way below the Poverty Datum Line.
The lowest paid civil servant gets US$296 while the PDL is over US$600.

“The objective in pursuing this investment strategy was to create a platform that would combine financial structures with innovative solutions, thereby providing meaningful financial assistance to civil servants and restoring pride in their work,” he said.
“By providing a means to access finance for the purchase of a motor vehicle, we would be increasing the disposable income of every household. With every dollar increase in disposable income per household, the consumption of consumer goods and services increases correspondingly, thereby inadvertently increasing the Gross Domestic Product.”

Some civil servants said they have already benefited from the scheme adding that the facility had come at the right time as most of them were earning low salaries.
“At first I thought it was a dream but now that dream has come true as I am now driving,” said Mr Tendai Manyowa of Harare.

“I paid an initial deposit of US$850 last year after getting my bonus and now I have the car and I am paying monthly subscriptions of about US$200,” he said.