GOVERNMENT has deferred to July next year the implementation of regulations banning the importation of left-hand-drive and light second-hand vehicles over five years old.
The regulations, which were set in September this year,
were due to become effective on December 1.
However, motorists, car dealers and transporters have been
given a six months reprieve to reflect on the new statutory
instrument.
The law requiring all motorists to carry triangle reflectors
and fire extinguishers among other devices has also been
deferred to the same period.
The regulations also compel motorists to use vehicles that are in good working order to minimise road carnage.
Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Develop-ment Secretary Mr Partson Mbiriri yesterday said Statutory Instrument 154 on Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use) Regulations remained unchanged except for the effective date.
“I have indicated in two meetings that when Statutory Instrument 154 of 2010 was initially discussed within the ministry, our intention had been to give the motoring public as much as 12 months’ notice.
“Regrettably, there were delays in having the Statutory Instrument gazetted resulting in an effective notice period of only three months,” said Mr Mbiriri in an interview yesterday.
“Accordingly, it is the ministry’s intention to defer the effective date of the Statutory Instrument by another six months so that the motoring public have reasonable time to relate to the Statutory Instrument. The provisions of the Statutory Instrument shall remain the same in toto,” he added.
Mr Mbiriri said the regulations had been served to lawyers in the ministry as well as the Attorney-General’s Office.
“We are not amending anything but merely deferring the effective date,” he said.
The regulations set December 2015 as the deadline when left-hand-drive vehicles would no longer be allowed and also ban the importation of vehicles that are more than five years old.
The postponement of the implementation deadline does not affect the December 2015 date set for the total ban.
It is a requirement under the regulations for all vehicles to have triangle reflectors and fire extinguishers.
The Transport Operators’ Association of Zimbabwe and private motorists have, however, protested over the regulations.
They said the implementation of the regulations could sound the death knell for demise of the transport business that used mainly ex-US left-hand driven trucks.
However, Mr Mbiriri said the regulations were promulgated after wide consultation with all stakeholders.
“We will obviously entertain any representation from any stakeholder, but the regulations were as a result of consultation. At the moment we don’t want to raise false hopes,” said Mr Mbiriri.
According to the regulations, motorists risk heavy fines or jail terms of up to six months for failing to ensure that their vehicles have all the mandatory safety devices and accessories.
Among the regulations, motorists should at least carry with them a jack, wheel spanner and spare wheel and red reflective triangles.
The law also criminalises the driving of tinted vehicles that could impair the driver’s vision of other road users.
Heavy vehicles are required to be fitted with fire extin-
guishers weighing at least 1,5kg while those for light vehicles should weigh at least 700 grammes.
“Every fire extinguisher referred to in paragraph (d) of subsection (1) shall be of a type and make approved by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe, which approval shall be visibly marked on the fire extinguisher and secured at an easily accessible and visible position within the cab of such vehicle,” read the regulations.
Some of the accessories that should be in good working condition include windscreen wipers, direction indicators, stop lights, reversing lamps, brakes, fuel tanks, carburettors, suspension and speed monitoring devices among others.
“No person shall operate on a road a motor vehicle if the fuel tank, carburettor, fuel receptacle, fuel pipe thereof is defective or so exposed that it constitute a source of danger,” read the regulations.
On articulated vehicles, no person should drive a vehicle whose length exceeds 18,5 metres or a bus train whose length exceeds 20 metres.
The width of any vehicle other than construction vehicles should not exceed 2,6m while the height should not exceed 4,6m.
Driving animal-drawn vehicles at night is not permissible unless there are two substantially white lights visible at a distance of 75 metres from the front of the vehicle.
The regulations also provide that direction indicator while reversing lights should consist of lamps not less than 15 watts in power output.
Use of worn-out tyres is now prohibited in terms of the regulations.