Zinara, VID reject bond notes

THE Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) and the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) in Beitbridge are allegedly rejecting bond notes when dealing with foreign shipping agents at the border post.

The departments are said to be demanding cash payments in foreign currency only and are not even accepting plastic money.

Shipping agents told The Chronicle that the rejection of bond notes was inconveniencing them.

Shipping and Forwarding Agents' Association of Zimbabwe (SFAAZ) chief executive officer Mr Joseph Musariri yesterday said his association does not understand why the VID and Zinara were rejecting bond notes.

"VID and Zinara at the border are demanding cash and that is affecting us a lot because there is no cash to talk about. Just yesterday I was getting complaints that Zinara is refusing bond notes when members want to buy coupons (toll fees). We don't know why they are rejecting bond notes saying it's not a currency yet they are Government departments," he said.

"We should be allowed to swipe or use whatever cash we can produce to Government agencies. Movement of goods should be seamless. Rejection of bond notes is creating a bottleneck in the movement of goods in addition to the inconveniences that it causes."

Mr Musariri said engaging border officials has not brought any joy for them.

The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Dr Joram Gumbo, yesterday expressed shock that government departments were rejecting bond notes, yet they are legal tender.

"I'm out of the country. I'm in Malaysia for a week, but I can't understand why that should be happening. We should not do that. Bond notes are legal tender it shouldn't happen that way," said Dr Gumbo.