Zim Travel warning

[sasafaris]

I have been looking at several blogs recently, and spoken to a few travellers.
This is a letter I wrote to Zim Tourism, still no response;

Hello,
I will be visiting Zim again in July. Last year in Harare I had this same experience as this gentleman below, and it seems to be widespread now according to several tourism blogs I read.
I reported the incident and the vehicle, A silver Nissan sedan ACN 9108.

Herewith the internet post I refer to:
Dear Police Commissioner,
I have just driven through Biet Bridge border post, via Masvingo to Harare and back via Bulawayo to Biet Bridge.
During my trip I had the honour of meeting our Hon Minister of Tourism (Zimbabwe) and his gracious wife.
Please understand that you have any number of police officers who are criminals.
It is their mission to prey on motorists, particularly those with foreign number plates.
I was stopped on at least five occasions. On each occasion I was accused on fatuous, trumped up transgressions, threatened with incarceration and impoundment of my car, pending Court appearance.
For instance you have a round faced individual, very brown in complexion, driving a grey sedan (looked like a Corolla) operating in Masvingo.
I was even accosted at Bon Marche on 2nd Street Extension, by 2 individuals, one in uniform and one in plain clothes.
These are not police offices. They are criminals. Their purpose is to extract "bribes" out of human beings on false charges. This is robbery in which the power of the State is being used to victimize human beings instead of protecting them.
It was the same when I visited in 2012. So you have a pathological problem.
It does not require rocket science to work out what damage this is doing to our country.
It should be easy enough to trap these criminals in "sting operations".
Wishing you and our compatriots all the very best.

Judge Chris N Greenland.

Is there a contact number and office that we can phone when this happens,
Many thanks,
John Harris

[ChrisF]

stil you continue to visit .... and feed this "system" ....


nope, I wont drive in Zim until this is sorted. Nor will I drive through Mozambique for the very same reason.

[Hangover]

Mosambiek is nie so erg nie... As jy al n paar keer daar was weet jy dat jy hom nie hoef te bribe nie... Jy lat weet hom net dat hy jou volle samewerking het om jou te neem na die naaste polisie stasie om die boete te betaal dan se die aap vir jou jy kan maar ry... Werk nog elke keer en sal bly werk... Ek het 3 vreinde wat permanent werk in maputo en soveel as 5 keer n week die roetine moet volg... veral naweke en voor vakansie dae...

[WayneSchalk]

still you continue to visit .... and feed this "system" ....


nope, I wont drive in Zim until this is sorted. Nor will I drive through Mozambique for the very same reason.

Ek stem met jou, daai twee lande sal my nie gou weer sien nie. Dit is jammer, maar ek wil gaan om te ontspan, nie om oor sluke k a a a a k te bekommer nie.

[Toppie4x4]

Het geen begeerte om Mozambique of Zimbabwe te besoek nie, baie beter lande en plekke om te besoek, en moenie ons eie land vergeet nie. Het besluit ek sal eers die buurlande weer besoek sodra ek al ons eie plekke gesien het.

[ChrisF]

Met ons Botswana trip het ons niks van die snert ervaar nie.

In Kasane het ons n dagtrip gevat na Victoria Valle - maar ons het dit met n torbussie gedoen. PUIK ondervinding gewees !!



en dan sien jy hoe die locals die toeriste uitbuit. Die reen jasse word teen buitensporige pryse verhuur, dan stap die toergids nader en die prysse VAL. By die Valle se ingang word almal die Europese tarief aangeslaan - dan wys ons toergids ons SA paspoorte en jy kry die SADC prys ...

nee wat, om elke hoek en draai buit hulle die toeriste uit ....

[sasafaris]

Received this mail today;

GENERAL INFORMATION.

To all visitors and persons involved in tourism in Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority have staff stationed at the Beitbridge border specifically to assist any visitors or tourists coming into Zimbabwe.

They are positioned at the end of the bridge in the car park as you cross into Zim, and will assist you right through the border, sorting out all the formalities, Road toll, Customs, Road tax, Immigration, Visas, Interpol, etc. and then see you right through to the exit gate, they will handle everything for you at absolutely no charge whatsoever.

That is their job and they are very proud of it, and it is to show the tourist that you can enter Zim without any problems and at no unforeseen costs.

I have personally used them and they were really friendly and gave a fantastic service, well worth using.

The Area Manager is Bertha Mutowembwa on 00263-286-23640/1 office, or 00263-772 344317 or 00263-712 320428 email. berthamuto@gmail.com and the Marketing Executive is Lindarose Ntuli on 00263-772 409373 or the above office No. email. lindarosentuli@gmail.com

All you have to do is drop them a mail the day before you expect to cross and then phone them before you cross over and they will meet you at the bridge to sort you out.

[george]

Thanx John
This is excellent news