City tightens screws on litterbugs

Innocent Ruwende : Municipal Reporter

Harare City Council is set to impound vehicles used to dump litter and fine offenders amounts not exceeding level three ($20), as the city tightens screws on environmental pollution. Business owners are now required to pick up litter that fall on any public places during the conduct of their operations at their own cost as well as provide adequate number of bins on the business premises.The businesses are also now required to monitor the vicinity of the premises during business hours to ensure that their surroundings area free of litter.

According to the new Harare (Anti-Litter) By-Laws of 2016 any vehicle impounded must be claimed by the owner and returned on payment of a fine.

“(5) Any vehicle impounded in terms of this section must be claimed by the owner and returned on payment of a fine not exceeding the cost of removing litter concerned, the cost of transfer to the compound and cost of storage.”

“5)(1) Where a vehicle, which has been impounded in terms of Section 4 remains unclaimed for a period of three months from the date of such impoundments, council shall publish in any newspaper of wide circulation within the council area, a list of unclaimed vehicles and advise the owners to claim vehicle within 30 days,” reads the by-laws.

According to the new law, council shall sell by public auction any vehicles that remain unclaimed 30 days after the notice of unclaimed vehicles has been published. Council is empowered to deduct charges for storage from proceeds of the sale of unclaimed vehicles and the balance, if any, will be paid to the owner within 30 days from the date which the owner submits to the council a written request for such payment.

Section 5(5) empowers council to forfeit any money which is not claimed within 30 days after the sale of vehicles.

Section six of the by-law makes it an offence for any person to obstruct or impede or refuse to comply with council officials on duty.

Any person who refuses to comply with the by-laws shall be guilty of an offence and liable, upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding level five or 15 days imprisonment or to both fine and imprisonment.