Matanga not responsible for impounding vehicles

POLICE Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga has said his department should not be held responsible for the unregistered vehicles which were impounded recently, as they were simply implementing a directive from the Transport ministry.

This was after police on January 15, 2022 launched a blitz to impound vehicles without standard registration plates following public concerns that most of those vehicles were being used in criminal activities.

In a letter dated February 2, 2022, Matanga said: "If there are any issues regarding motorists who paid for registration plates and can show proof of payment, I advise you to direct those issues to the Transport and Infrastructural Development minister for redress.

"May I advise you that the police service is a creature of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and draws its functions from the Constitution. The  Transport and Infrastructural Development minister is the one responsible for the administration of the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act [Chapter 13:14]," the letter read.

Transport minister Felix Mhona last month said the country had enough number plates for vehicles.

"It is very pathetic that in some areas, we are having zero sales, whereby people are not going to buy number plates," Mhona said.

In a statement yesterday, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said it would not hesitate to approach the courts if the public complained that it was not being issued with vehicle number plates.

Since the operation of impounding plateless and uninsured vehicles began, more than 25 291 motorists have been nabbed.