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Mrs Nesisa Mpofu

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
MOTORISTS and Bulawayo residents have criticised council’s exorbitant towing fees that have seen the municipality getting $6 while each contracted towing company gets $54 for each vehicle that would have been towed away.

Council charges a flat fee of $60 as towing fees regardless of distance covered from the city at a time most recovery and towing companies charge $1 per kilometre.

Towing companies which won the towing tender get the bulk of the money from traffic rules offenders, raising suspicion that someone at council might be benefiting from the skewed towing deal.

A motorist, Mr Sibangani Dube, said council must review its towing fees because they are too high considering that its stores depot along Khami road is about 3km from the city centre.

“My vehicle was towed away when I was parked near 11th Avenue along Fort Street. It was towed to Khami stores depot about a kilometre and a half away but I was charged $60. This money is too much because I also have to pay for tickets owed to council leaving me with nothing at the end of the day,” said Mr Dube.

He said council should at least either reduce the towing fees or offer motorists an option to choose a company to tow away their vehicles.

“They don’t give us an option, it seems they’re benefiting from towing vehicles at such a high price,” he fumed.

Another motorist, Mr Siboniso Ndlovu, said a recent operation by council and police against those violating road rules saw many motorists struggling to settle the hefty fines. Bulawayo United Residents Association Mr Winos Dube said it was wrong for council to charge a flat fee for towing vehicles.

He said violating traffic laws does not mean that one has to be crucified.

“We want to make a strong appeal to council to be considerate because you cannot understand that a car is being towed for less than a kilometre or so and you charge $60 which is not easy money to come about,” said Mr Dube.

He said council must understand the economic situation faced by the general public.

“If only they could come up with a figure to be charged per kilometre it would be better because $60 is too high,” said Mr Dube.

Bulawayo City Council senior public relations manager Mrs Nesisa Mpofu confirmed that council charges a flat fee as towing fees regardless of distance covered.

“Only a flat fee is charged. Towing fees are as per Bulawayo City Council (clamping and tow-away) by-laws, 2015 SI 63/2015,” said Mrs Mpofu.

She said council gets 10 percent from the towing of each vehicle, while the towing company gets the rest.

Mrs Mpofu said during a recent operation, 102 motor vehicles were impounded, some were escorted and others were towed to the municipality’s depot.

— @AuxiliaK