TRANSPORT Minister Nicholas Goche has declared a government plan to ban the importation of second hand cars in limbo after ministers decided more consultations were needed on the policy.
Officials had said the ban on vehicles older than five years would start on July 1, but Goche announced on Saturday this had been pushed back to October 31.
Even then, Goche insisted no firm decision has been taken on the life of cars to be banned.
"I want to advise all concerned that no one will be barred from importing vehicles which are more than five-years-old until the consultative process is completed,” the minister said.
"Therefore, the effective date restricting the importation of second-hand vehicles into the country remains October 31, by which date the consultative process would have been completed to which my office will give further direction.”
Ministers have been stung by public criticism of the policy, specifically the five-year restriction and plans to ban left-hand drive vehicles from Zimbabwe’s roads.
Environment Minister Francis Nhema first announced the reforms in August last year, arguing Zimbabwe could not continue to be a dumping ground for vehicles banned in their countries of origin.
“We have a duty to save lives, protect ourselves and our environment,” Nhema said.
But a public backlash over the decision prompted Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara to promise a cabinet review, quipping: “As government, we need to apply our minds before major policy announcements."
Most cars imported into Zimbabwe are from Japan, which has strict carbon emissions laws which have created a massive industry in second-hand car exports, mainly to third world countries.