Source: Police roadblocks rake in $14m in 6 months – DailyNews Live
STAFF WRITERS 5 July 2017
HARARE – In a stunning development, the Zimbabwe Republic Police collected
$14 million from its unpopular roadblocks and arrested more than one
million traffic offenders in the first six months of this year, documents
in our possession show.
Apart from raking in the staggering millions of dollars, police also
collected R11 717 900 during the 178 days which it reviewed on June 27 and
28, 2017 in a report broken down to show how much police stations and
highway patrol teams had billed in the first six months.
The figures are carried in a memorandum compiled by Officer Commanding
National Traffic and sent to police chiefs and relevant heads in a review
of fines, arrests and targets carried in the first 178 days of 2017.
Curiously, the report mentioned that police officers manning the
roadblocks and carrying spot checks were failing to meet their targets due
to many roadblocks, especially in Harare.
During the 178 days police arrested 1 038 657 million people, a gigantic
figure representing the efforts of both the police stations and highway
patrol teams. Police stations arrested 541 566 and highway patrol teams
nailed 497 091.
In monetary terms, Harare province was the biggest earner with police
stations themselves contributing $2 382 230, followed by Midlands which
had $691 910 and Mashonaland West with $615 335.
Highway Patrol in Harare earned $3 707 170 during the same period with
Mashonaland West province receiving $617 810, followed by Midlands
province with $542 430.
In total, police stations raked in $6 611 425, R3 168 690 and (Botswana
Pula) P52 300.
The Highway Patrol earned $7 778 030, R8 549 210, Euro10 and P 540.
During the 178 days under review, Harare Central Police Station and Mutare
had a daily target of $3 000 followed by Chitungwiza, $2 500, and Mabvuku,
$2 100.
Highway Patrol teams were demanded to meet targets ranging between $1
300 and $1 800 per day.
The latest revelations come as there are growing calls for government to
reduce the number of roadblocks by thousands of motorists who complain
about the random and unrelenting harassment at by police.
Apart from complaints of harassment by the motoring public, the many
roadblocks have been blamed for driving away international tourists.
Speaker of National Assembly Jacob Mudenda and Tourism minister Walter
Mzembi are among those who have been critical of the many roadblocks and
so called spot checks.
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently implored Home Affairs minister
Ignatius Chombo to sort the issues of roadblocks and spot checks with
Mzembi, but despite promising that they would be reduced, police has
actually increased them.
Police has repeatedly argued for more punitive measures on the roads such
as increasing spot fines with police commissioner-general Augustine
Chihuri in February calling for a steep hike to stem road crime and
carnage.
Chihuri was addressing parliamentarians who sit in portfolio committee on
Transport and Infrastructural Development who were touring the law
enforcement agency’s transport management and computerisation centre at
Chikurubi.
“The fines are such that once you pay, you forget it. Take for example in
Germany, if you commit an offence, they take all your number plates and
for you to get one plate (back), you need to fork out $10 000, which is
$20 000 for the two,” Chihuri told the lawmakers then.
“I think for us, the number of people who commit road offences will
continue to increase because of small fines. Yes, spikes are legal. . .
spot fines are also legal. People forget that as police, we need to be
protected from criminals. Everyone sees our mistakes because we work with
people all the time,” he said.
Chihuri’s sentiments came after Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa in the
2017 budget hiked standard fines – which were last reviewed in February
2009 – by up to 100 percent with effect from January 1.
Chinamasa, like Chihuri, also argued that the penalty structure had been
found to be ineffective, given the rising road fatalities that were
largely attributed to the failure by motorists to observe road rules.
On the other hand, in February in February the High Court ruled that there
was no law that allowed police to confiscate licences and impound vehicles
of drivers who refused to pay spot fines.
This was after police had admitted that they had no right to force drivers
to pay spot fines.
Ordinary Zimbabweans and motorists have also blamed rampant corruption at
these roadblocks and spot checks with the Road Users Association
threatening to file a complaint at the Constitutional Court.
Home Affairs deputy minister Obedingwa Mguni unwittingly exposed the
corruption by traffic police officers recently when he told Parliament
that he had received requests from MPs to facilitate their children
transfers to traffic department.
“I have received more than four requests from Members of Parliament and
they are asking me to say `my son or my daughter is in the police force,
he wants to be transferred to the traffic.’
“I have told Levy Sibanda, who is Deputy commissioner-general for Human
Resources that here are the names of daughters and sons of MPs who want to
be transferred to traffic. Can you interview them why they want to be
transferred to traffic, what is the reason?
“The reason has been `my wife is far from me,’ `I see Bulawayo traffic is
near, where there is space can I be accommodated,’
“There are a lot of even community leaders who want their sons to go and
work in traffic. You wonder why, what is the reason? Here, we have to
correct everything to eradicate this (corruption) crime.” Mguni said while
giving oral evidence to Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and
Infrastructural Development.
COMMENTS
“The fines are such that once you pay, you forget it. Take for example in
Germany, if you commit an offence, they take all your number plates and
for you to get one plate (back), you need to fork out $10 000, which is
$20 000 for the two,” Chihuri told the lawmakers then.
“I think for us, the number of people who commit road offences will
continue to increase because of small fines. Yes, spikes are legal. . .
spot fines are also legal. People forget that as police, we need to be
protected from criminals. Everyone sees our mistakes because we work with
people all the time,” he said.
That is true only a few things different, in Germany and many other countries infact people actually have jobs and well paying ones at that, the economy is functioning very smooth and steady (despite having been bombed to oblivion during WW2 / having to pay war reparations out there ears of years) and a number of other limitations, the road network is in immaculate condition and have public services that work you dont need to attempt to risk your life putting out a car fire with a personal extinguisher because they are no fire fighters or engines or fuel or water also they seem to keep crime in control on the roads without having 600 road blocks and another 600 spot checks you can actually take a drive on a highway and enjoy it. So yes in many countries they have hefty fines but the country actually works and provides services it doesnt just take take take and give nothing back !! Oh and they wont take your plates or fine that much for a license plate light not working!! ud have to have committed a serious CRIME for them to do that so please dont make like we are favoured because you cannot compare the the two situations…….
Would not work better if you has an annual Examination of the vehicles condition ( New Zealand, 6 months). In the UK it is Called ‘MOT test’. You pay for this regardless of anything wrong.
Basically, you need this paper (actually a computer entry) to pay the road tax, on line.
It is offense to drive a car without this certification, even one day out dated is an offense. If stopped and all police cars look at the registration numbers of the vehicle in front, plus AVERAGE (yes) Motorway speed cameras etc and check the state of taxation, this certificate, Insurance cover + Driving License of the registered keeper automatically and if then found to be wrong on manual check the vehicle is impounded THERE AND THEN. You get the bus to your destination, with your Fine & Points as well. If you where speeding and over 50% its the driving test again (severe edition) – It’s Expensive to get your vehicle back, in France over 2x the speed limit is impossible it’s sold.
It all works automatically and is silent in operation. Probationary, newly passed driving test persons loose there license at 50% of the mature drivers rate i.e 6 points. What you are doing is crude and open to manipulation.
I absolutely agree that drivers need to be fined for breaking the law and putting other members of the public at risk, but to have so many roadblocks and to have the police witch hunting vehicles for anything they can possibly find even if it is the most minor infringement is seriously unproductive. Look at the big picture. Keep traffic flowing and don’t inconvenience and harass tourists to our country. What happens to all that money? Are the police accountable for the fines they take. I don’t think so.