Harare City Council has announced that they have reduced tow-away fees for vehicles that are driven instead of being towed to the Central Stores. Prior to this even vehicles that had been driven to Council’s Central Stores instead of being towed away were required to pay the tow-away fees of US$100. A lot of residents pointed out that charging the same for vehicles that have been driven by their owners to the storage area the same amount as vehicles that had to be towed away did not make sense. It seems Harare City Council too now agrees with this reasoning.

The new charges were revealed in a circular signed by Warren Chiwawa who is the acting Chamber Secretary for Harare City Council.

Ciruclar No 2 of 2022

REVIEW OF CITY OF HARARE TRAFFIC FINES

Harare City Council has reviewed traffic fines following His Worship Cllr Jacob Mafume’s conference on 24 August 2022.

The Mayor noted the residents entiments on penalties mainly charges on tow away and storage fees.

Subsequent to the foregoing, Council has accordingly reviewed the tow away fine for self-driven vehicles to central Stores from USD 100.00 to USD 10.00. The USD 10.00 will be and administraton fee.

Accordingly, the Traffic Enforcement Section adnd the Finance Department are hereby advised, by copy of this circular, to take note of, and effect the new charges in the interim whilst necessary ammendmends to the Clamping and Tow Away By Laws are being drafted.

However, the tow away fine remains at USD 100.00 if the vehicle is towed by council.

In relation to the storage charges, no charges will accrue if a motorist manages to pay for his/her traffic offence(s) within the same day. Storage charges will only accrue in the even that the vehicle is detained overnight at Counci’s secure compound or any other place designated for the purpose.

Please note that an offender has an optio to pay in hard currency or local currency at prevailing interbank rate.

Be guided accordingly

Signed

Warrren Chiwwa

Acting Chamber Secretary

Council scraps the requirement that fines be exclusively paid in USD

In the same circular council seems to have scrapped the requirement that fines be paid exclusively in USD. The circular clearly states that one can pay using ZWL at prevailing official rates.