Zim allows grace period for switch to electronic transit fee payment

The state road fund
administrator, Zimbabwe
National Roads Authority
(Zinara), has agreed to a threemonth
grace period – from
the date of
implementation
on April 1
this year – for
transport
operators
to switch to
the prepaid
electronic
transit coupon
system.
Transit fees
are charged
on all foreignregistered
trucks, buses
and vehicles that use the
Zimbabwe road network –
and are currently collected
manually at the border post.
The grace period was
agreed at a meeting between
representatives of the Cross
Border Road Transport
Agency (CBRTA), Zinara and
the Zimbabwean Ministry of
Transport and Infrastructural
Development (TID) late last
month.
CBRTA senior manager for
operations,
Victor Dladla,
told FTW that
the transport
agency had
called for the
grace period
as certain
operators
needed more
clarity on how
the process
worked.
Operators
were concerned
by the
application of the transit fees
collected and administration of
the revenue collected, especially
in light of the current condition
of Zimbabwe’s roads.
Permanent secretary at
the TID ministry, Munesu
Munodawafa, attributed the
road damage to incessant
rains caused by Cyclone Dineo
earlier this year. He said
the ministry of finance and
economic development had, to
date, raised US$14.5 million of
the US$100 million that was
required for the emergency
road repair programme.
“Zinara is also contributing
to this mobilisation of financing
and has to date funded repairs
of strategic routes in Harare,”
said Munodawafa.
He said the road fund agency
– which took over the collection
of road access and transit fees
from the Zimbabwe Revenue
Authority (Zimra) in 2013 –
collected around $130 million
annually from road access fees,
vehicle licensing fees, transit
fees and the fuel levy, among
other revenue streams, for
routine maintenance of roads.
Munodawafa added that
the government would, in
these three months, embark
on a widespread awareness
campaign to educate
transporters on the new
system, its benefits and security
features.
“We will possibly offer
training to users of the system
should there be a need for it,”
he said.
The benefits of the prepaid
e-coupon included improved
security and reduced border
congestion, he added. “If the
transit fee is paid up front, over
a secure electronic platform,
this could fast-track clearance
at border posts.”
Dladla told FTW that
questions and concerns
received to date had been
answered by the government.
“The grace period will allow
operators to continue using
manual coupons until June 30,”
he said.
INSERT AND CAPTION
If the transit fee is
paid up front, over
a secure electronic
platform, this could
fast-track clearance
at border posts.
– Munesu Munodawafa
CAPTION
Transit fees will help pay for damaged road infrastructure
such as the Nkankezi Bridge on the Bulawayo-Masvingo
highway.