Used vehicle importation ban set to hit a brick wall

Daily News says the proposed ban on the importation of used vehicles is set to hit a brick wall as it emerges there has been no Cabinet endorsement of the ban. Government is set to clarify the position on importation of used cars this week.

Meanwhile, Government says it will not reverse its ban on used car imports that are over five-years-old and Left Hand Drive vehicles  despite legal threats from transport operators.

The ban will be implemented with effect from November 1 while left-hand-drive vehicles will be completely taken off the road by December 31, 2015.

Many importers of vehicles, especially from Japan, are now congesting Beitbridge Border Post to beat the deadline.

The Transport Operators Association of Zimbabwe last week said it was mounting legal action against the Government on the legality of the ban, arguing that LHD vehicles were lawfully permitted in Zimbabwe by virtue of the Road Traffic Act 13:11, section 6 of the third schedule.

Secretary for Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Mr Patson Mbiriri last week said Statutory Instrument 154 of the Road Traffic Act would be effected on November 1.

He said the Government had engaged transport operators several times and it was surprising that they were mulling legal action.