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Peter Dube

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
THE embattled Highlanders’ leadership has secured a tax clearance from Zimra to enable them to register and start using the luxury coach they took delivery of in June.

Bosso fans have blamed the executive for the team’s poor run that has left the ailing Bulawayo giants languishing 10th on the 16-team Premier Soccer League table.

Reports indicate that Bosso fans wrote to Bulawayo police yesterday requesting for permission to demonstrate against the club’s executive this afternoon, although it could not be ascertained whether the request was granted or not.With Bosso fans’ emotions at boiling point, the club’s leadership needed something positive to temporarily calm tempers, and moving to offset their tax bill to get their bus released might provide that relief, although it will just be scant consolation for the team’s poor performances on the pitch.

Bosso have been hopping from one office to another trying to get their wheels’ documents sorted out.

The final stages of getting the bus registered had been attributed to Zimra holding onto the customs clearance certificate (CCC) because the club owed a substantial amount in PAYE (Pay As You Earn) tax.

Club chairman Peter Dube yesterday said the club had struck a deal with the taxman after paying part of their outstanding tax and was now in the final stages of getting the bus ready for use.

“Like I said before, just like any other company or football team, we’re faced with challenges because of the environment that we’re operating in. We’ve been doing lots of work behind the scenes to try and be compliant with all relevant bodies so that we get our bus ready. I’m glad to confirm that we’ve been cleared by Zimra and we’re in the process of getting the operator’s licence,” said Dube.

According to a local agent, it will take about two weeks to get all paper work for the bus. The agent said it takes about 10 working days and $125 to get an operator’s licence.

Bosso attached their bank statement, a garage letter they took to the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) for clearance and a copy of the driver’s licence with a Class One retest to their operator’s licence application.

Armed with an operator’s licence, Highlanders will take their bus to the VID for a certificate of fitness, then apply for route authority (permit) which takes about five days.

Once Highlanders start using their bus for away matches, the club will make significant savings as they will only need money for fuel unlike now when they have to scrounge around for $1,200 to hire transport.