HARARE The Affirmative Action Group is set to confront government over the proposed ban of imports of used Japanese cars.The Ministry of Transport has set June 30 as the deadline for the last imports of second-hand cars into Zimbabwe.
In an interview, AAG secretary general Tafadzwa Musara, said the group had made an appointment with the ministry to ask them to revise the proposed ban.
We feel that the ban is harsh and too generic. We are coming from a decade of economic doldrums and, in the absence of a vibrant banking sector that can lend people finance to buy new cars, it will be difficult for most Zimbabweans to be mobile. Also our national fleet has aged and there is need to continuously replace it, said Musara.
If new Kombis are brought in the public will suffer from higher fares charged by the owners as they will be trying to recover their costs within a short space of time, he added.
Since last month, when the government announced that it was going to ban imports of used cars, there has been congestion at Beitbridge border post due to the influx of used vehicle imports, mainly from Japan, as car dealers and individuals rush to beat the June 30 deadline.
The AAG is most worried about the social effect of this ban. We have Mazda motor industry which is as good as dead. Quest motors, which used to assemble cars, is as good as dead as well. This ban should be effected in phases in tandem with developments on the ground we should see the resumption of the existing motor assembly plants, Musarara recommended.
Post published in: News