Mhona decrees penalties for toll gate damage, ban on unlicenced cars
By Staff Reporter
Motorists who accidentally ram onto or persons who “willfully damage” toll gates along Zimbabwe’s highways will be forced to repair the road infrastructure, Transport Minister Felix Mhona has said while setting out regulations governing the use of the controversial road tolling system.
Under Statutory Instrument 5 of 2024, Mhona also prescribed similar penalties of people who “willfully” damage toll gates.
“Any person who wilfully damages, defaces, or alters in any way any tolling infrastructure shall be liable for its replacement cost as may be determined by the Road Fund,” reads the SI by the Minister.
“Any person who is involved in an accident that results in the damage of any tolling infrastructure shall be liable for the repair of such damage.”
Under the gazetted regulations, cars driven along the country’s highways without valid vehicle licences shall also be denied passage at the toll gates.
“For the purposes of enforcing collection of all required fees, an authorised person shall be permitted to deny passage through a Tolling Point to any vehicle that has an expired or does not have a valid vehicle licence in terms of the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act,” the SI also reads.
Under the regulations published, ZINARA board members are exempted from paying the fees.
“Vehicles belonging to members of the ZINARA Board members for the duration of their appointment and any other institution or persons as may be approved by ZINARA provided that vehicles exempted under this provision shall not exceed 2 vehicles per such institution or person,” the minister further directed.
