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Decentralise CVR

by Rex Mphisa
28 Apr 2014 at 20:16hrs | Views
Scores of people who swarmed the Central Vehicle Registry (CVR)'s section of the ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development stand at the just-ended Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo highlighted the need for the department to decentralise services sooner rather than later.

Zimbabweans from as far afield as Victoria Falls, Plumtree, Beitbridge, Gwanda, among other areas, travel to Harare for conscientisation on  various pre-requisites for road users by the CVR.

The CVR endorses the validity of drivers' documents prior to the issuing of operators' licences, and medical endorsements.

The CVR also endorses public transport drivers' re-tests certificates, as well as upgrading  and  the replacement of  lost drivers' and learners' licences, road service permits, new and the replacement of car registration plates and registration books. The services are only offered in Harare.

Apart from fees charged for the documents, people from outside Harare have to budget for bus fares, accommodation and food for the trip to the CVR in Harare.

Visitors who toured the CVR stand said decentralisation of the department was long overdue considering Zimbabwe attained its independence in 1980.

"I can't tell my child that everything has to be done in Harare after this long, this department has to show some initiative and bring its services closer to us," said a commuter omnibus operator, Bhekumuzi Tshabalala.

He said the absence of the service opened avenues for unscrupulous middlemen who charged exorbitantly for various services offered by the department.

"We are being charged between $120 and $150 to replace, a lost registration book by either the middlemen or the police and these figures vary, depending on what you need," said Tshabalala who operates on the City to Richmond route.

It costs $35 to replace a lost book, while a lost driver's licence metal disc costs $15 for an ordinary one, and $50 for an urgent one.

"If government can bring it to the ZITF, it means it is possible that this service can be brought to Bulawayo and save us," said another commuter omnibus operator, Mandla Bhebhe.

The CVR even processed metal licence discs at a laboratory within their stand, proving it was easy to have it done in  Bulawayo.

Hundreds of people swarmed the CVR stand for a variety of services, and the stand was arguably one of the busiest at the ZITF.

The stand also educated people on the role of the ministry's Inland Water Authority which regulates the maritime industry and make sure it conforms with international standards.

Zimbabwe has one of the most active boating industries in the world.

Source - Zim Mail