The Customs Clearing and Freight Forwarding Agents’ Association of Zambia (CCFFAAZ) has called on motorists to reject fines slapped on them by the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) following the installation of speed cameras on selected roads in Lusaka.

In a statement issued in Lusaka, Tuesday, Association president Bruce Kaemba stated that the introduction of speed cameras is a scheme aimed at extorting and squeezing out monies from the already overburdened tax payers.

“I urge all the affected motorists to reject these fines because the whole exercise is a scheme by RTSA and Intelligent Mobility Solutions to extort and squeeze out monies from us, the already overburdened tax payers. Do you remember the motor vehicle testing machine, which RTSA introduced sometime back at Mimosa? They are at it again though this time with the so-called speed cameras. Let us just reject this scheme with the same level of unanimity we had when opposing the introduction of the Mimosa motor vehicle test machine. Should RTSA push me to the limit in pursuit of this illegal fine, I will have no option but to seek legal redress and unless the courts of law deem it fit for me to pay the fine I will do so. That, however, should mean that RTSA should stoop so low and throw professionalism out the window to appease this company at the expense of us innocent motorists,” Kaemba stated.

“The fines slapped on us motorists by RTSA for allegedly excessive speeding is clearly an act of extortion and broad day light robbery. In the first place, RTSA should have informed us motorists of their intentions to put up speed cameras – that’s what responsible and civilised agencies do. This is not the game of hide and seek. As if to add salt to the wound, RTSA head Zindaba Soko vehemently said the agency will not waive the fines on the speed tickets, but extend the payment period by one month. What Mr Soko has done is to justify the illegality!”

He also complained of being a victim of the newly-installed speed cameras.

“As an affected motorist, who has accrued five tickets for excessive speeding, I am extremely reluctant to pay these fines and I believe my position is shared by many other motorists who are in a similar position as myself. In as much as the speed cameras are a welcome move to restore sanity on our roads, the manner in which these cameras were installed and the fines slapped on us motorists is all wrong and fails in many ways than one,” stated Kaemba.

On Monday, RTSA insisted on not waiving fines slapped on speeding motorists following the installation of speed cameras on selected roads despite mounting complaints from several motorists.

According to Soko, the agency is also anticipated to beat its revenue target by 100 per cent through the use of ICTs, which include speed trap cameras.