HIGHLANDERS Football Club will have to wait longer to use their newly-acquired bus, as it is yet to be cleared by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officials and go through registration processes.
BY THANDIWE MOYO
The 64-seater luxury coach was purchased in South Africa jointly by Highlanders and club benefactor Tshinga Dube
On the eve of last week’s by-elections in Bulawayo, Dube invited Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa to officiate at a handover ceremony of the bus in what was largely seen as a vote-buying gimmick.
Dube went on to win the Makokoba seat, ending a run of two consecutive election losses on a Zanu PF ticket.
The revelations that the bus was not yet cleared will be an embarrassment to Bosso and Dube after the pomp and fanfare at the handover ceremony.
Bosso had failed to get the bus into the country after a request for a duty waiver was rejected, which then led to Dube’s intervention. The bus is still to be registered with Zimra before it is cleared.
Highlanders chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede yesterday said they were in the process of sorting out the registration.
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“As soon as we have got all the papers that are required by the processing authorities, we will commence to register the bus,” he told a Press conference.
“We are not looking at using the bus in the foreseeable four weeks or so.
“It is a long process. “You can imagine getting the police clearance, getting a re-assessment of the bus by Zimra for tax purposes.”
This would mean that they will not be using the bus when they travel to Harare for their match against Dynamos on June 28, but could start using it when they play Whawha.
Gumede said someone had facilitated the entry of the bus into the country although he did not mention who it was, although it was widely believed to be Dube.
“What happened was that the bus was facilitated to enter and we still have to pay the local taxes to Zimra after it has been assessed so that they know if the actual money we paid is the perceived worth of the bus,” he said.
“We also have to try and get an all-roads route permit, which is only done in Harare.
“Further the bus still must pass through our own VID (Vehicle Inspection Department). “It’s work in progress.”
Gumede said they were hoping to use the bus for the next 10 years, but only for long trips and their smaller vehicle for local shuttling.
He said they had not written off the Nyaradzo bus, which has taken long to conclude.
Meanwhile, Gumede said following a request by their members, they will host a meet-the-players braai at the clubhouse tomorrow.
“The braai will be held from 2pm and it is open to all members,” he said.
“The members will be allowed to interact with the players.”
Mnangagwa’s involvement in the unveiling of the bus torched a storm with Highlanders supporters alleging that the club had been hijacked.
