PRESS STATEMENT ON VEHICLES PLYING PUBLIC ROADS WITHOUT DISPLAYING REGISTRATION NUMBER PLATES:HON DR J.McD GUMBO,MP

It is also common knowledge that some of the motor vehicles plying our public roads without displaying any form of identification tend to be used in the perpetration of crimes taking advantage of their concealed identity. In our quest to sanitize our public roads, we are urging all motorists to refrain from using unregistered vehicles on to the public road network.

Vehicles in all categories across the board must comply fully with the requirements of the statutes. In this regard, Government and private use vehicles must be seen on our public roads only if they are registered and are displaying registration number plates and the third number plate. Registration books must be produced on demand by relevant law enforcement agencies or designated authorities.

Some garages and motor vehicle “flea market” owners are also non compliant by either keeping unregistered vehicles on their premises for more than 14 days from the date of importation as prescribed by the law or at worst for driving such vehicles at night in breach of the governing statutes. All such garage owners and vehicle traders are hereby warned to abide by not only the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act but also by the Factory and Works Act [chapter 14:10] as well as the Shop Licences Act [chapter 14:17]. In terms of the law, only registered car dealers are allowed to keep unregistered vehicles as stock in bond houses for resale to their customers. Vehicles being sold from garages should always be driven on our roads whilst displaying garage licence plates.

Any newly imported motor vehicles may not be driven on our public roads until and unless they have some form of displayed acceptable identification documents such as temporary identification cards. The temporary identification cards are only valid for 14 days and are displayed on vehicles moving on specified routes. These official documents are readily available in the country at all major border entry points and there should not be any excuse for anyone’s failure to display them on their vehicles.

Finally, no motor vehicle is supposed to be driven on the public roads whilst displaying only the front or rear number plate. Every motor vehicle is required by law to be always driven whilst displaying its front, rear and third number plate. Displaying of one or two of the foregoing is a punishable offence.

The co-operation and compliance by all motorists will enable the Zimbabwe Republic Police [ZRP] to proffer a friendlier policing environment. This observation is made in light of the private public partnership arrangement through which the ZRP and its strategic partners has already, launched an e-enabled traffic management and policing system throughout the country’s provinces.

The motoring fraternity is also being strongly warned that non complaint vehicles may not be allowed passage at toll-gates, the majority of which have now adopted “number plate reading technology”. Any vehicles that are caught in transgression of the law risk being impounded, with the perpetrators being fined or prosecuted.

The police together with our VID officers shall be on full alert and lookout throughout the country’s national road network to deal with such offenders. Joint law enforcement exercises are already underway to flush out the elements under discussion as you could have learnt through the media.

I thank you.