VID depots a mess

THE Vehicle Inspection Department’s depot in Mutare is in a total mess as most of the vehicle fitness testing equipment has broken down and require urgent replacement.

Unroadworthy vehicles are on the roads as the department is incapacitated to test them.

This was revealed Wednesday morning during a tour of the depot by members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development.

The committee was assessing progress on projects funded by the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara).

Depot manager, Mr Shingirai Musamadya, told the legislators that infrastructure at the main Mutare, Forbes Border Post and Birchenough Bridge depots need to be repaired or replaced.

“At Birchenough Bridge, we have some challenges. The weighbridges are not working both on the Mutare and Masvingo sides,” said Mr Musamadya.

“The equipment we use in inspecting vehicles, for example the roller brake tester and the compressor, are not working. At the Forbes Border Post, we are supposed to have a working weighbridge and office, but that project has been stagnant for more than a year now. Up to now there is no progress there.

“That border weighbridge should be

operational to relieve pressure at the main depot. Drivers must weigh their loaded trucks at the border post,” said Mr Musamadya.

However, Zinara wholly funded the US$320 000 Forbes Border Post project which commenced in 2019. It remains unclear what is stalling progress. On one hand, VID officials said the construction of the weighbridge is being done by the Department of Public Works while the latter blamed the office of the Provincial Roads Engineer for the delay. Legislators called for an audit to ascertain how the disbursed figures were utilised.

Stand-in committee chair, Shurugwi North Member of

National Assembly, Cde Ronald Nyathi also asked why the depot does not have a hill-start testing platform.

The committee heard that driving learners do hill-start tests in Mutare’s Central Business District at the intersection of Robert Mugabe and Herbert Chitepo streets.

Legislators highlighted that this poses great danger to other road users. Zinara board chairman, Engineer Michael Madana said the authority’s mandate is to fund projects as per requests.

He said if Zinara was mandated to monitor how disbursed funds are being utilised, more progress would be recorded on the projects.