Tuesday 24 October 2017

UNREGISTERED VEHICLES TO BE IMPOUNDED

Government will impound vehicles that do not display registration number plates, while offenders will either be imprisoned or fined, a Government official has said. 

In a statement yesterday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo said there was a disturbing increase in the number of vehicles being driven without number plates. “It has come to the attention of Government that there is an increased number of motor vehicles plying our public roads without displaying registration number plates,” said Minister Gumbo.

“This behaviour is contrary to Sections 6 and 10 of the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act (Chapter 13:14), which stipulates the need for vehicles to be registered and to always display their registration marks and numbers. What is disturbing is that a good number of such motor vehicles have been involved in road traffic accidents, after which their drivers vanish, rendering any further accident reporting procedures and investigations difficult.”

Dr Gumbo urged everyone to cooperate.
“The cooperation and compliance by all motorists will enable the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to offer a friendlier policing environment,” he said.
“The motoring fraternity is also strongly warned that non-compliant vehicles may not be allowed passage at tollgates, the majority of which have now adopted ‘number plate reading technology’.

“Any vehicles that are caught in transgression of the law risk being impounded, with the perpetrators being fined or prosecuted. The police, together with our VID officers, shall be on full alert and lookout throughout the country’s national road network to deal with such offenders.”

Joint enforcement exercises to flush out unscrupulous elements are understood to be already underway. Most vehicles without number plates, Dr Gumbo said, were often used to perpetrate crime.

“In our quest to sanitise our public roads, we are urging all motorists to refrain from using unregistered vehicles on the public road network,” he said.
“Vehicles in all categories across the board must comply fully with the requirements of the statutes.

“In this regard, Government and private-use vehicles must be seen on our roads only if they are registered and displaying registration number plates and the third number plate. Registration books must be produced on demand by relevant law enforcement agencies or designated authorities.”

Dr Gumbo said some garages and motor vehicle “flea market” owners were also non-compliant by either keeping unregistered vehicles on their premises for more than 14 days from the date of importation, in violation of the law.

“All such garage owners and vehicle traders are hereby warned to abide by not only the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act, but also by the Factory and Works Act (Chapter 14:10), as well as the Shop Licences Act (Chapter 14:17),” he said. Herald

0 comments:

Post a Comment