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Chronicle Writer

AN estimated $24 million in potential revenue is lost each year due to at least 200 000 vehicles failing to pay vehicle licenses and tollgate fees, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development has said.

The committee suggests that this amount could be used to drill 7 000 boreholes annually, resulting in a total of 35 000 boreholes by the year 2030.

According to the committee’s recommendations submitted at the recently held pre-national budget seminar in Bulawayo, committee chairman Cde Knowledge Kaitano said there is a need to transform the toll gate infrastructure into toll plazas to minimise revenue leakages.

“Because there is no aggregated motor vehicle database and the absence of a database system which links CVR, Zimra, Zinara, the Police, and Insurance Council of Zimbabwe, it is estimated that a minimum of 200 000 vehicles are not paying vehicle licenses nor toll gate fees thereby depriving the fiscus of $24 million annually, and an amount which can drill 7000 boreholes annually and 35 000 boreholes by 2030,” he said.

He added, “The time is now to roll out these toll plazas which were mooted as far back as in 2019.”

Cde Kaitano said toll plazas can increase revenue collection as the operating software by the two system vendors can be upgraded to provide VID certification, road permits, authenticating the number plates, offer 3rd party insurance, and ZBC insurance among others.

“This will also greatly reduce road accidents. We have been made to understand that Zinara has the funds to build the toll plazas. There is also a need to increase the number of toll plazas for certain roads such as Harare-Masvingo and Bulawayo Victoria Falls.”