Government gains $375 million Minister Joel Biggie Matiza

Zvamaida Murwira, Harare Bureau

Government’s computerisation programme in the transport sector has yielded significant gains through increased revenue with at least $375 million being realised over the past five years since the programme was implemented.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development computerised several of its departments and services, a situation that has seen the curbing of leakages, pilferage, corruption as human interface has been significantly been reduced, thus raising the amount of money accruing to Treasury.

The Ministry modernised systems through the Zimbabwe National Road Authority, the Central Vehicle Registry and most recently through the Zimbabwe Traffic Information System (ZIMTIS).

According to statistics, Vehicle Licensing, under Zinara, generated revenue of $15 million annually before the advent of the system but was now raking an average of $56 million, an increment of $41 million. 

Tolling revenue, across the 17 Zimbabwe tollgates, increased from $16 million when manual receipting was being carried out in 2013, to an average of $50 million a year, meaning computerisation drove a revenue increase of $34 million.

Revenue also rose with respect to road transit programme fees which is collected when foreign registered vehicles traverse the country. 

The Ministry was collecting $20 million before computerisation but the figure jumped to around $25,5 million creating additional revenue of over $5 million per annum. 

The Zimbabwe Traffic Information System computerisation programme is in its infancy after it began with the computerisation of the learner’s provisional test at VID sites in Harare’s Eastlea depot, as well as Chitungwiza and Bulawayo depots.

VID intends to extend the programme to road tests to avoid rampant corruption that has been there across depots, which has contributed to road carnage in the country.

Other areas that the Ministry intends to computerise under the ZIMTIS project are outdoor garage inspections, vehicle inspections, route authority permits and lake navigation.

A local company, Univern has been instrumental in the computerisation process.

In an interview yesterday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joe Biggie Matiza said they were excited as Government, with gains that have accrued to the fiscus owing to the computerisation process.

“We are quite excited about the computerisation process which has removed the human interface thus reducing corruption in a significant way. Not only has it eradicated or reduced corruption, the system has also brought efficiency and convenience to the ordinary public. Some of the work was being done manually but it is now being done electronically,” said Minister Matiza.

“Revenue has increased significantly something which is a source of pride to us. We will continue to work to improve the system in our quest to fight corruption and inefficiencies.”

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