Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
FOUR fuel service stations have been closed in Victoria Falls after the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) found that they were operating without a licence.
This comes at a time when illegal fuel dealing in Victoria Falls has escalated with petrol and diesel now being sold in numerous residential houses as well as from cars on street corners in the high density suburbs. The trend is also rampant in other parts of the country and in major cities like Bulawayo.
The fuel is reportedly smuggled from Botswana and Zambia where it is cheaper than the local pump price and then sold in five-litre containers for $6 or $7.
The four garages include RAM Petroleum Limited that was operating at number 7731/2 and three others owned by Jureshma Investment. These are Zuva Zambezi Service Station and two branches along Clark Road and Miles Road.
RAM Petroleum, represented by one of its directors, Rowland George Morison and Jureshma Investment represented by Martin Mhlanga appeared before Victoria Falls Magistrate, Ms Rangarirai Gakanje, charged with operating a service station without a licence, which is a violation of Section 29 of the Petroleum Act. Both pleaded guilty.
RAM Petroleum was fined $50 while Jureshma, which had three counts, was fined $100 after all the three counts were treated as one for sentence. Zera was the complainant.
The State’s case was that the four garages had been dealing in fuel without licences since the start of the year. Ram Petroleum operated without a licence between January 1 and September 5 this year while Jureshma operated between January 1 and September 4, 2017.
“On the period extending from 1 January 2017 to 4 September 2017 and at stand number 448 Miles Road, the accused Jureshma Investment conducted business of selling petrol without a licence as required by the Act,” said the prosecutor, Mr David Tivakudze.
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