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Auxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
THE government will this week roll out hi-tech computerised cars that will, at the touch of a button, fish out unregistered vehicles and those without valid radio licences from the country’s roads, a cabinet minister said.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Deputy Minister Engineer Michael Madanha told the Senate last week that the introduction of “compliance vehicles” is aimed at bringing sanity to the motoring public and to minimise accidents.

He said the technologically advanced vehicles would be on the road in a few days.

“One of the innovative ideas that we’re coming up with is to put what we call ‘compliance vehicles’ on our roads. These vehicles are equipped with computers and cameras,” said Eng Madanha.

“Wherever they’re stationed, be it in the bush, dust road, wherever you’re; it will quickly give feedback to our control room right here in Harare once it picks up your number plate and other details.”

Eng Madanha warned carjackers that their days are numbered.

“For thieves, this will no longer be a stroll in the park because wherever you are, you’ll be picked up and arrested on the spot,” said Eng Madanha.

He said:

“This issue of moving with unregistered vehicles or cars that haven’t paid their radio licences or without a certificate of fitness will be a thing of the past in the few days to come.”

The deputy minister was responding to a question by Zanu-PF Senator Mike Byton Musaka who wanted to find out why unregistered vehicles were still on the country’s roads.

He added: “If the car is imported and moves on our roads without being registered that simply points to the fact that there might be some corruption of some sort which would have taken place”.

In August, the central vehicle registry announced that it will de-register more than 300,000 vehicles that have not been licensed for the past two years. It is estimated that there are 1, 2 million vehicles in the country.

The government extended to end of this month the deadline for owners of unregistered motor vehicles to regularise their vehicles.

Once a car is de-registered, it will be removed from the CVR data base and the owner will be required to get a new certificate of fitness from the Vehicle Inspectorate Department as the first step towards re-registration.

The car also has to be cleared by the Police Vehicle Theft Squad after which the owner will pay a $160 re-registration fee.

Motor cycles and trailers will pay $140 for re-registration.

After completing that process, vehicle owners will be asked to pay their outstanding licence fees before re-registration is effected.

In terms of the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act, driving a de-registered vehicle is an offence that can attract a three-month jail term or fine and in some cases, both.