FUEL shortages have created room for corruption at Harare
service stations, as non-runner vehicles with modified tanks are being pushed
to pumps to hoard fuel for resale on the black market, The Herald has
established.
A ramshackle Mazda 323, which can best be described as
“body on wheels” can be fitted with a 300-litre tank. Corrupt elements at filling stations accept bribes of up to
$40 to allow impatient motorists to jump the queues.
Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) acting chief
executive Mr Eddington Mazambani said ZERA and police were investigating the
cases.
“I have also received a report implicating a certain
service station in Harare in such corrupt practices,” he said.For now, I cannot disclose the name of the service
station, but we are investigating the case in conjunction with the security
agents to flush out such activities.”
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi said it was an offence for service stations to abet illegal trade in
fuel.
“Our operations department has received such reports and
investigations are underway to arrest all those involved in the hoarding of
fuel using unroadworthy vehicles,” he said.
(file pic) A fuel attendant fills drums at a service
station in Belvedere. There have been cases of fuel being diverted to the black
market. — (Picture by Shelton Muchena)
“It is an offence to divert fuel to the black market and we
are working with officers from ZERA to bring all the culprits to book.”
The Herald tracked some rickety vehicles that were being
pushed from St Mary’s Total Service Station in Chitungwiza to their respective
bases where five litres of either diesel or petrol was selling for US$10.
As part of the investigation, our reporter bought diesel
from a vendor popularly known as Mupositori at Huruyadzo Shopping Centre.
“I buy the fuel straight from the pump at Total Service
Station and it is very safe,” said the bald-headed Mupositori. “Our friends at
Total communicate with us whenever they are expecting deliveries and we push
the vehicles to the service station.”
When The Herald visited a service station in Glen View, a
number of unroadworthy vehicles were at the front of the queue while others
were being towed to the fuel pump.
An irate motorist, who chose to remain anonymous, said:
“This service station is proving to be the worst in terms of corrupt tendencies
and disorder. The corruption is actually fuelling the black market.
“To start with, we see vehicles without engines being
pushed to the fuel pump. Some of the cars have large tanks fitted to them and
they are always at the front of the queue,” said a source.
There is an old yellow Nissan Pulsar that normally occupies
the front of the queue and investigations by our undercover team established
that it was fitted with a 200-litre drum.
A popular mechanic in Glen View, identified only as Ray, is
known for regularly towing a fuel bowser to the service station, where it is
filled up for the illegal market.
At the service station, broken down cars and lorries are
always queueing for fuel, which is sold in foreign currency a stone’s throw
away.
In Glen View five litres of fuel (both diesel and petrol)
costs between US$7 and US$10.
Yesterday some motorists queueing for petrol at Engen
Service Station at the corner of Kaguvi Street and Robert Mugabe Road
complained that although they were close to the pump, they were stuck at the
same spot because some kombi crews with 200-litre drums were jumping the queue.
Herald
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