Beitbridge VID officials accused of being vindictive

Beitbridge residents have accused the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) of being vindictive following an on-going blitz on privately-owned cars whose owners are accused of operating pirate taxis but the operation has been seen as a desperate measure by the cash-strapped government to raise funds.

The VID officials later demand that affected owners register the cars as public service vehicles as a pre-requisite for releasing those cars.

More than 100 privately-owned vehicles have been impounded in the blitz that started last November incidentally when the government struggled to pay bonuses to its workers.

"We are worried about this development, because we are being forced to register businesses that we have not solicited for," said one resident who spoke on conditions of anonymity.

The Zimbabwean government has been failing to raise salaries for its civil servants and last year it was forced to change its civil service pay dates more than once after failing to mobilise adequate funds. It also staggered the payment of bonuses for its workers.

It is believed that the government whose tax base is dwindling daily owing to closures of companies is now using funds from customs duty and its numerous toll gates to pay salaries.

Recently cabinet approved the establishment of another 30 toll gates throughout the country although [road maintenance is not improving.    

Mike Ndou who is a shipping agent at Beitbridge said the blitz and subsequent order to register cars as taxis by VID officials was a violation of people's rights.

"Before they release your vehicle, VID officers demand that you register your vehicles as a taxi, where on earth have you heard someone being forced to go into business?" he asked.

"It is not because they want us to have registered taxis but the government is desperate for cash since it is failing to raise salaries for civil servants, this is outright stupid," he said.

Ndou said VID officers pounced on his car, a Toyota Corolla, when he stopped to drop his cousin, a cross-border haulage truck driver, who was collecting customs documents of the goods his truck was carrying.

"These people (VID officials) indiscriminately impound cars they suspect to be pirate taxis but it does not mean every car in Beitbridge is a taxi," said Ndou.

A teacher at a school in Beitbridge said she found the officials at VID very unreasonable when she went to inquire why they held her car that was being driven by her brother.

"Despite explaining it was a personal car, they were adamant it was a pirate taxi even though it was first time they came across it. I have had this car for the past three years and shouldn't they have come across it before if it was a taxi?" she asked.

"They are being vindictive and unreasonable. I am going to court, it's sickening"' she said.

A government official who asked not to be named said due to ever-rising unemployment a number of Beitbridge residents who lost their jobs from companies that closed down use their cars to carry goods from cross border travellers for a fee. They charge $2 per head per trip within the border town.

Zimbabwe's unemployment levels are said to be above 90 percent.

The official said even for those wishing to formalise their operations the process was prohibitive and centralised in Harare which deterred many people.