Cars impounded by BCC up for auction in 30 days: Motorists reel under hefty fines

13 Oct, 2024 - 00:10 0 Views
Cars impounded by BCC up for auction in 30 days: Motorists reel under hefty fines

Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor

MOTORISTS in Bulawayo are grappling with high storage fees levied by the city council whenever the local authority impounds cars for different traffic offences, leaving some facing charges that exceed the value of their vehicles.

Reports indicate that certain cars now carry accumulated fees of as high as US$38  000, causing significant financial strain for the affected individuals, which can be further worsened as the local authority will soon get rid of hourly charges, which will see vehicle owners pay a figure of US$100 a day.

The US$100 will be chargeable the minute the car is booked in the council storage facilities. Motorists will now also be given 30 days to clear their debts or risk having their cars auctioned.

According to the latest council report, the Bulawayo City Council is reportedly charging US$120 per day for storage fees for impounded vehicles. This has resulted in staggering accumulations, with one vehicle owner facing a bill of over US$38 000.

The City of Bulawayo Clamping and Tow Away by-laws were revised in 2023 under Statutory Instrument 220 of 2023.

The new by-law outlines offences plus their levels and prescribes penalties, charges for various offences and storage fees for the impounded vehicles. Motorists in the city are already up in arms with the local authority’s parking management system partners, Tendy Three Investments (TTI), who have been tasked with implementing this by-law.

Recently, the local authority directed that TTI will now be enforcing traffic regulations in the city 24 hours a day.
According to the by-law some of the offences that will result in vehicles in the city’s Central Business District clamped 24 hours a day include washing and repairing of vehicles on the road, loading of passengers at non-designated places, parking or stopping of motor vehicles causing danger and obstruction and operating illegal overnight car parks.

Vehicles that obstruct traffic will reportedly be immediately towed away. The prescribed charges for a small vehicle are a US$5 hourly charge, US$120 daily charge and the weekly charge is pegged at US$600, medium cars (eight or more passengers), one-tonne pick-up trucks, kombis, minibuses up to five-tonne trucks, the hourly charge is pegged at US$15, daily charge, US$360 and weekly charge is US$1 800.

Heavy vehicles and buses according to the by-law are required to pay hourly charges of US$30, daily charges of US$720 and the weekly charge is US$3 600.

“Several complaints had been received from customers on the level of storage charges. A Toyota Wish (small vehicle) registration number AFA 8768 was impounded on 29 February 2024.

“The owner of the vehicle wrote to the Finance Director appealing for a reduction of the charge. A kombi, medium-sized vehicle, registration number ADS 2149 was impounded on 7 May 2024.

“The owner of a Honda Fit vehicle registration number ABM 8290 that was impounded on 23 July wrote a letter on 24 July appealing for a reduction in charges.

The vehicle was impounded for a ticket that was issued on 19 July 2023, Mr Ndlovu alleged that the ticket belonged to the previous owner of the vehicle, he bought the vehicle on 21 March 2024 and the previous owner’s number was unreachable. The vehicle had not yet changed ownership.

He was a person living with different disabilities. He stated that the vehicle enabled him to move around and earn a living,” reads the report.

“As on 21 August 2024 the three vehicles mentioned above had accumulated storage fees of US$20 980, US$38 175 and US$3  600 respectively. The accumulated storage fees were above the forced sale values of the vehicles.”

Research, by the local authority, showed that the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) charges US$10 storage fees per day for impounded vehicles. Local authorities with similar by-laws charged between US$10 and US$57 per day.

“The Management Committee meeting (20 September 2024) considered the report and proposed that instead of charging per hour, Council should charge per day. The charge should cover the cost of security (personnel, security equipment and lighting), insurance cover for the vehicles, damages and administrative costs.

“The charge should be punitive enough to discourage offenders from using Council as a facility to safe keep their vehicles. The Committee proposed that the fee be pegged at US$100 per day for small vehicles from the moment the vehicle entered the impound without a capping,” reads the report.

Vehicle owners who have had their cars impounded will now be given a maximum of 30 days from the date the vehicle is impounded to pay all the council dues and claim their vehicles, failure to which they will be auctioned as per procedure.

The new flat charges to be implemented by the local authority are US$100 per day for small vehicles, US$150 for medium vehicles and US$240 per day for heavy vehicles.

The maximum storage charges have been pegged at US$600, US$1 800 and US$3 600 respectively.

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