His official vehicle was clamped by workers who demanded a bribe from him in order to release it. The fracas, which attracted a sizeable crowd in the city centre, saw Machisa exchanging harsh words with workers over the matter. He later paid a $45 fine.
“The incident shows that this is the way the council guys – perhaps with the blessing of their supervisors – operate. Its corruption at its best and there is need for action to be taken so that the rights of motorists are protected,” said Machisa.
Several other motorists have also complained about the corrupt activities of the council workers in the city. Since the pre-paid parking licensing exercise was introduced last year, no meaningful revenue has found its way into the city council’s coffers despite the fact that Gweru is the third largest city which is jammed by traffic at all times.