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The Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) is now the official Payment method for all vehicle licenses following the quashing of the law to pay in United States Dollars barred week ago.This followed a court application from Mfundo Mlilo, represented by Tendai Biti, challenging the decision by the Transport Ministry to charge US$80 for a set of vehicle registration plates.
So indeed the Zim Dollar won its day in court and henceforth the Statutory instrument that effected it is null and void and out of the constitution.
The challenge was based on unjustified acts as the country was officially transacting in Zimbabwe dollars.
High Court judge Justice Webster Chinamhora ordered the government to stop charging for the vehicle registration plates in United States dollars.
In new developments the court ruled that authorities had violated the provisions of the Finance Act by charging the vehicles’ registration and license fees in US$.
The order reads, “ The 1st respondent’s actions, on the 21st of September 2020, in impounding the applicant’s Sul motor vehicle, without warrant of court order, were unlawful, null and void.”
“Part 1 relating to items 1 to 4 being fees that are expressed in United States Dollars, of the Vehicle Registration and Licensing (Amendment Regulations 2020) (No 21), published as Statutory Instrument 166 of 2020 be and is hereby declared ultra vires the provisions of the Finance Act Chapter 23:04 be and is hereby set aside.”
Last year in July government published a new Statutory Instrument, SI 161 of 2020, which gazetted the fees for new number plates and vehicle registration in USD.
According to the Statutory Instrument(SI), motorists were being required to pay in United States Dollars in order to get new plates.
In response to the SI an application was filed to the court challenging the new law which made citizens pay in USD while government has been prosecuting some businesses for refusing to accept Zimbabwe Dollars.
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