The Sunday Mail
At least 57 vehicles that were parked in illegal garages and car washers were impounded last week in a fresh blitz by the Harare City Council, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to bring sanity in the Central Business District.
The operation also targets street garaging especially downtown Harare where vehicle mechanics have been operating illegally and disrupting the smooth flow of traffic.
According to council officials, 24 vehicles were impounded on Thursday and nearly 100 informal car washers were pushed out of business.
EMA education and publicity manager, Mr Steady Kangata told The Sunday Mail that the operation was also meant to reduce pollution in the CBD.
“The operation is targeting car washing activities in backyards, streets and illegal garages. EMA’s thrust is to stop these activities which pose health hazards to the public as a result of pollutants that are deposited in sources of drinking water,” he said.
“The operation is based on the precautionary principle to avert disaster in the event that some vehicles which would have carried hazardous substances or wastes are cleaned in the streets exposing the general public to such substances.”
The city authorities have been battling to bring order in the CBD and last month, Harare City Council banned commuter omnibuses plying to the South Western suburbs from parking in the CBD condemning the vehicles to a holding bay outside the CBD
