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Crime Reporter

ALL unregistered vehicles are with immediate effect not allowed to pass through tollgates as the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) launches a blitz to ensure motorists heed the law.

So far, ZRP has impounded 11 917 pirate taxis and unregistered vehicles countrywide.

According to the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act, vehicles should be registered and always display their registration marks and numbers.

In a statement, the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) public relations manager Mr Tendai Mugabe advised the public that it was an offence to drive unregistered vehicles on the roads.

“The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development in partnership with the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) and Zimbabwe Republic Police, would like to advise the motoring public that it is illegal to drive a vehicle without registration number plates on the country’s roads.

“As such, all vehicles without registration number plates will not be allowed to pass through our tollgates countrywide and members of the ZRP are going to impound such vehicle. The Central Vehicle Registry (CVR) has enough stocks of registration number plates and motorists without the registration number plates are advised to visit CVR for assistance,” said Mr Mugabe.

The crackdown on unregistered vehicles comes in the wake of a spate of armed robberies countrywide as criminals are using such vehicles to evade tracing detection.

Police said they would release the vehicles impounded for lack of registration plates once the owners have registered them.

In February last year, Government said importers of vehicles who had been unable to register them owing to a shortage of number plates should obtain temporary identification cards for indefinite use.

Temporary registration number plates normally have a 14-day lifespan, just enough time to get the vehicle home and secure permanent registration.