Zim inflation reduces excessive overloading fines

AFTER A full-scale investigation, the Federation of Eastern and Southern African Road Transport Associations (Fesarta) has told FTW that the new overloading fines imposed on foreign trucks in Zimbabwe are not at the frighteningly high rate that was revealed by the Malawi Road Transport Operators' Association (RTOA). According to the RTOA, the Zimbabwe government-revised fines for overloading were “excessive” enough to put small and mediumsized operators out of business. According to information released to FTW by RTOA executive director, Shadreck Matsimbe, more than 5 0 Malawian trucks had been impounded in Zimbabwe in recent times, and faced massive overloading fines. In his calculation, he converted the Zimbabwean authorities’ announced fine of Z$120 000 000/ kilogram working out to fines of approximately US$228.50/kg or R1 748.57/kg. Using this formula, Carlos Almeida, of Almeida Transport in Lilongwe, said that one of three of his vehicles impounded faced a fine which converted to the equivalent of US$93 000 – more than such a truck costs. But Barney Curtis, executive officer of Fesarta, told FTW that the horrendous inflation rate in Zimbabwe had rapidly altered the RTOA calculation – and the fines now did not convert to such a huge sum. “The exchange rate Matsimbe used (Z$525 000/US$1) was correct at the time he did the calculation,” he said. “But the latest information I have is that the rate of exchange is now Z$192 254 633/US$1. “That means that the overloading fine now comes down to US$0.62, or R4.74 per kg.” That comes to an overloading fine of R4 740 per tonne – which is “within reason” according to Curtis. But that might not be what is wanted by the Zimbabwean traffic authorities. “Who knows what will happen next week?” asked Curtis.