×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Police yet to enforce new traffic fines

News
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police has not yet started enforcing the new traffic fines announced by Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa, NewsDay has learnt.

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police has not yet started enforcing the new traffic fines announced by Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa, NewsDay has learnt.

by VENERANDA LANGA

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said they were still working on the modalities to enable them to charge the new traffic fines which have been described by motorists as “too high”.

“All I can say is that we are still working on the modalities for implementation. Our role is not to craft laws, but to enforce them,” Charamba said.

Police-sporkesperson,-Charity-Charamba-adressing-members-of-the-media-yesterday-at-Police-Headquaters-Pic-Shepherd-Tozvireva

The new traffic fine levels introduced by Chinamasa in the 2016 National Budget proposed that crimes such as failing to signal slow down, stop or turn right or left, cutting corners or turning right, encroaching over white lines at a robot, proceeding against an amber robot and abusive behaviour on the roads would attract a level three fine of $20 up from $10.

Road crimes such as proceeding against a red robot, overtaking over a solid white line, driving without a licence and footbrake not working will attract a level four crime of $100 up from $20.

Legal think-tank Veritas said the new traffic fines were still not enforceable as no legal processes had been done to make the fines legally binding.

Charamba, however, defended the increase in the number of police roadblocks, saying: “Roadblocks are not only for traffic, they can be mounted to check for armed robbers or criminals. If, for example, police get information of a murderer who is getting away in a car, a roadblock can be set up to ensure they do not get away.”

She added: “We deploy more than three police officers at roadblocks because someone else should witness the charging of a fine. There is a difference between a roadblock and law enforcement. If a single police officer witnesses a crime being committed and they stop a person to ensure they answer to the charge, it is law enforcement and it is allowed.”