adminimpounded 407 vehicles in a bid to compel motorists to pay for about 148 000 outstanding traffic tickets valued at about $742 000.
Scores of commuters, especially from the western suburbs, were stranded on Thursday and Friday morning, as the Bulawayo City Council intensified its blitz on motorists with outstanding traffic tickets in the city.
There was no transport, as scores of Kombis were clamped and towed to the council’s storage facility along 12th Avenue.
Council teams armed with scores of clamps, set up checkpoints on roads leading into the city to catch offenders.
Traffic fines in the city range from $6 to $36.
On Friday, commuters supported the move by council.
“It is an inconvenience because we got to work late, but I think it is necessary to restore order in the city,” said Mrs Nompumelelo Mangena (37), of Nketa 9.
Public transporters were divided on the blitz.
“I have tickets for using the undesignated 6th Avenue to pick up point.
“However, I think it is council’s fault for issuing so many permits, that the business has become oversubscribed. If I go to the legal ranks, I would have to queue and I end up making about four round trips on a good day. At 6th Avenue, I can make as many as 10 trips,” said a kombi driver, who declined to be named.
Another driver at Basch Street terminus, popularly known as Egodini, said council should maintain pressure on defaulting vehicles because they were stealing business from compliant operators.
“Most of the vehicles that use undesignated points are either unregistered or they are unroadworthy. They steal business from those of us who are registered, and make more money. I was very happy to see most of their vehicles clamped, just after the Nguboyenja flyover yesterday,” said the driver.
In an e-mail responding to questions from Chronicle, council’s public relations officer, Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya said on Wednesday, by midday, 165 vehicles had been clamped.
“The exercise is set to continue until all motorists comply with traffic by laws and all outstanding tickets have been paid,” said Miss Ngwenya.
She said some of the tickets had been outstanding since dollarisation in 2009.
“Offences for which tickets were issued include failure to display a valid pre-paid parking disc, picking or dropping passengers at an unauthorised area, washing, cleaning or repairing a motor vehicle in a parking bay, blocking of sanitary lane(s) and failure to produce a valid taxi badge,” said Miss Ngwenya.
She urged motorists to check at the Tower Block, if they have outstanding tickets, to avoid inconvenience.
The cost of having a clamp removed from a vehicle is $5, $15 or $36 depending on the size of the vehicle, while towing attracts a charge of between $40 and $65.
Storage fees for small vehicles are $17, $25, $34 and $50 for heavy vehicles.
Online Reporter