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Police yesterday descended on motorists and started fining them for failing to display valid licence discs.
Commuter omnibus operators warned of a transport shortage indicating that they could not afford the heavy fines.
Failure to display a vehicle licence disc attracts a fine of $10 while those without insurance cover pay $20.
The initial deadline for registration was 31 May but Zinara extended it to 30 June on the eve of the expiry date only to cancel the extension on Tuesday.
Police started ticketing motorists without valid licence discs yesterday.
Angry motorists said the fines meant that about 70 percent of the vehicles in the country would not be on the road thereby crippling business operations.
They said Zinara authorities were failing to run the organisation professionally.
Mrs Ntombenhle Khumalo who owns a fleet of kombis that ply Bulawayo routes said Zinara’s actions were punitive and vindictive.
She said this will force operators to ground vehicles causing transport shortage.
“I am pulling my vehicles off the road with immediate effect. I make about $45 a day from each of my nine vehicles. If I pay $10 for each vehicle to the police that means a terrible loss. I have heard fellow transporters saying the same thing,” said Mrs Khumalo.
The group manager of the Treger group of companies, Mr Peter Buckle, said he was disappointed with the decision because Zinara was at fault.
“We sent a bulk order for discs at Belmont Post Office well before the expiry of the 31 May deadline but up to today, we have not received them. Countless enquiries at the post office have not yielded results. We are very angry about the development,” fumed Mr Buckley.
He said the company would lose a lot of money paying fines to the police for its fleet of about 100 vehicles.
A man who identified himself as Mr Marange from Bulawayo said Zinara should have issued a statement, giving motorists at least one week to register their vehicles. “They should not run the organisation like a family tuckshop. They are playing around with people’s businesses here. Zinara is only good at wasting money and does not want to listen to the public’s views,” said Mr Marange.
Mrs Sikhulile Moyo of Gwabalanda said police fined her along Plumtree Road yesterday.
“I paid a $10 spot fine. We are being made to suffer for Zinara’s shortcomings. These guys availed the discs 10 days before the 31 May deadline. They went on to reduce licensing outlets from 300 to 50 countrywide. Even if we were given three months, at the rate the queues are moving, it would have been impossible to serve 800 000 motorists,” said Mrs Moyo.
Mr Lucky Mlilo of the Association for Business in Zimbabwe (Abuz) accused Zinara of fund-raising.
“How else can you explain the confusion they are causing. On the same day papers ran the story about the extension, Zinara guys were on television saying the deadline would not be extended because they had no authority to change it. Now, suddenly they have the authority and are abusing it,” said Mr Mlilo.
He said he left a bulk order for 12 vehicles at Famona Post Office under Kilwick Investment (Pvt) Limited on 27 May and the order has not yet been processed.
Mr Jabulani Mlotshwa said Zinara’s actions were to blame for the confrontation which is now between the police and motorists.
“The police are simply enforcing the law. It is unfortunate that the motoring public is being punished for Zinara’s mistakes. They said only 220 000 out of 800 000 vehicles were registered. Pushing all these other vehicles off the road cannot be good for the country’s economic recovery,” said Mr Mlotshwa, who was in a queue at the Bulawayo Main Post Office.
Contacted for comment, Zinara spokesperson Mr Augustine Moyo said the organisation’s decision was final.
“We extended the deadline and people stopped paying. We will not change our decision. Those whose bulk orders have not been processed should direct their queries to Zimpost director, Mr Douglas Zimbango,” said Mr Moyo.
A comment could not be obtained from the Minister of Transport, Communica-tion and Infrastructural Development, Nicholas Goche and the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Mr Partson Mbiriri as their mobile phones were not being answered.
Police impound vehicles that are repeatedly found without the discs.
Online Reporter