HARARE City Council has hiked clamping and tow-away fees for illegally parked vehicles from $112 to $423 in a move aimed at restoring sanity in the central business district and raising funds for the local authority’s $364 million budget for 2014.
MOSES MATENGA STAFF REPORTER
Currently, the city charges $57 for wheel clamping of small vehicles and $80 for kombis while the tow-away charges stand at $112 for light vehicles and $132 for kombis.
The city is expecting to raise $5,4 million from clamping and towing to finance its $364 million 2014 budget.
“The new fee amounts to $423 and is deemed punitive enough to deter traffic offenders,” part of the council minutes approved by council last week, read.
The approval by the council paves the way for onward transmission of the amended Harare (Clamping and Tow-away) by-laws 2013 to Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo for approval and gazetting.
Council last Friday presented and approved a $364 million budget whose main thrust was to address the city’s perennial challenges which include water and housing.
Already, the local authority has acquired state-of-the-art vehicles for the clamping and towing project which has proved to be the council’s cash cow especially at a time when most residents were reportedly failing to pay their water bills.
