Corrupt VID officers warned

Reports that officers at the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) have been conniving for years with driving schools to demand bribes for learner's and driver's licences show the need for firm action to investigate these reports and fire those who are corrupt, the responsible minister has demanded.

There have been numerous complaints from the public that to obtain such licenses you must pay bribes to the VID officials through instructors from driving schools.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona wants this to stop, now. Yesterday he met senior officers from the VID, Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and officials from driving schools where he read the riot act.

Minister Mhona said all found receiving bribes will be discharged from their duties while driving schools doing the conniving will be deregistered.

"We have been receiving reports that VID and driving schools are the centres of corruption. For one to get a driver's license he or she must pay a bribe of amounts ranging between US$100 and US$150.

"In this Second Republic, this must stop as we do not tolerate any form of corruption. Our listening President, Dr ED Mnangagwa has always been on record urging us to listen to people's grievances and that no one should be left behind for us to achieve our Vision 2030 goals and that is why I am addressing these corrupt tendencies at VID," he said.

"When people say he is a listening President, if you ask to see him he will be able to attend to you and listen while taking notes. Similarly, that culture has to cascade (within the VID department) so that people know."

Minister Mhona said he would present the findings of the meeting to President Mnangagwa and urged VID senior officials to come up with vibrant ways to fight corruption.

The actual corruption does not see the bribe paid directly to the examiner by the person being tested. "You will never find our officers accepting money from the person they will be conducting a road test as the money is collected by driving school instructors and I say this should stop.

"We are going to install CCTV cameras at VID depots as one of the measures to curb corruption because VID cannot continue to be named as one of the most corrupt department," he said.

Minister Mhona said according to reports the syndicate also involves some police officers, among others in the issuance of licences. The Ministry had since put adequate measures in place to curb this scourge and thy will soon install CCTV at VID depots as one of the measures.

"There is no way we can continue to be reported as being one of the most corrupt entities and I will not hesitate to recall officers found wanting.

"As for driving schools, we will deregister or cancel their operating licences," Minister Mhona said.

They are about 700 driving schools countrywide and Harare has a total of 250.

Minister Mhona said some of the VID officers were arrogant and he had been receiving such complaints from the public.

"I would want to urge you to improve your work ethic and create a conducive environment and offer the best service to the people. Let's promote the issue of corporate governance in the way we do business."

Minister Mhona assured the department that he was going to call for another meeting to address the challenges that the officials were facing.

Over the past week, 25 Government officials were arrested on allegations of criminal abuse of office, or fraud and stealing large quantities of bitumen meant for the rehabilitation of the Harare-Bindura Road, under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2.

Of the 25, seven are Department of Roads senior officials in Mashonaland Central who were arrested for allegedly stealing the bitumen.

Four are officials from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development accused of attempting to allow pegging on land in Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe and Mutoko that was closed to pegging.

The final 14 are fired former Zinara staff of the Shurugwi tollgate allegedly involved in a cash-swipe card fraud that raked in $16 million.