“Most people are not aware that the handbook can be obtained at the TSCZ offices at a gazetted price of $10. Some of the driving schools are now buying the hand books in bulk and re-selling them at huge profit. One prominent driving school in town is charging $25 for the book as part of its overall package,” said Lovemore Ndoro, a learner driver. Another aspiring driver, Charity Ncube said she was forced to buy the handbook at $20 from a local driving school, before finding out that it was much cheaper at the TSCZ outlet in the city.
“When clients go to book for lessons they simply charge the book as part of the booking fees. When I booked for my lessons last week, I was charged $50 for 12 lessons plus $20 for the handbook,” said Ncube. He urged TSCZ to make the handbook readily available in designated shops so that aspiring drivers would not be exploited by unscrupulous driving school owners.
An official at the TSCZ offices in Bulawayo, who declined to be named, told The Zimbabwean that the council had received numerous complaints from members of the public. “Some driving school operators are abusing our supply system. To curb this practice, we are now restricting the number of handbooks we sell to two per person,” said the official.