News / National
Tollgates scam exposed
25 Feb 2016 at 05:58hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe National Road Administration could be losing thousands of dollars amid reports that some tollgate attendants are taking advantage of the weak cash collection system to swindle the authority.
Already, Zinara, the authority responsible for collecting toll fees, has dismissed one of its employees linked to the scam with sources alleging that the case could "just be a tip of the iceberg."
Zinara confirmed the development to our Harare Bureau yesterday saying the matter was treated in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Act.
As such, it said it was in the process of rolling out a more sophisticated software system to minimise cases of that nature.
"There was no need for criminal proceedings as no case of fraud or theft was substantiated," said Zinara.
"The disciplinary committee established that there was a high probability that (Tinashe) Nyamundaya had not deposited the money in the safe and at the same time couldn't have stolen the money from himself as he had acknowledged receipt of the money from the cashiers.
"Nyamundaya went through the necessary disciplinary processes as pronounced in the Labour Act. He was found guilty and relieved of his duties," a Zinara spokesperson said in written responses.
While Zinara has a computerised system, which has a cash up summary transaction equal to the daily deposit, the system was being abused, the sources said.
"We're using the Pastel accounting software, which we're in the process of rolling out to all tollgates countrywide," the spokesperson said.
Zinara is a body established in terms of the Roads Act (Chapter 13:18). Some of the authority's core business include fixing road user charges and to collect such charges or any other revenue of the Road Fund in consultation with the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development and the Minister of Finance and Economic Development.
Currently, the country has more than 20 tollgates some of which are jointly managed by the Southern Region Trading Company (SRTC), while others are under the ambit of Intertoll — a special purpose vehicle that was formed out of Zinara's partnership with Group Five of South Africa.
Already, Zinara, the authority responsible for collecting toll fees, has dismissed one of its employees linked to the scam with sources alleging that the case could "just be a tip of the iceberg."
Zinara confirmed the development to our Harare Bureau yesterday saying the matter was treated in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Act.
As such, it said it was in the process of rolling out a more sophisticated software system to minimise cases of that nature.
"There was no need for criminal proceedings as no case of fraud or theft was substantiated," said Zinara.
"The disciplinary committee established that there was a high probability that (Tinashe) Nyamundaya had not deposited the money in the safe and at the same time couldn't have stolen the money from himself as he had acknowledged receipt of the money from the cashiers.
"Nyamundaya went through the necessary disciplinary processes as pronounced in the Labour Act. He was found guilty and relieved of his duties," a Zinara spokesperson said in written responses.
While Zinara has a computerised system, which has a cash up summary transaction equal to the daily deposit, the system was being abused, the sources said.
"We're using the Pastel accounting software, which we're in the process of rolling out to all tollgates countrywide," the spokesperson said.
Zinara is a body established in terms of the Roads Act (Chapter 13:18). Some of the authority's core business include fixing road user charges and to collect such charges or any other revenue of the Road Fund in consultation with the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development and the Minister of Finance and Economic Development.
Currently, the country has more than 20 tollgates some of which are jointly managed by the Southern Region Trading Company (SRTC), while others are under the ambit of Intertoll — a special purpose vehicle that was formed out of Zinara's partnership with Group Five of South Africa.
Source - chronicle
