HARARE residents have pleaded with the government to shelve plans to introduce urban tollgates, saying the economic environment is not conducive to have motorists pay more levies.

Combined Harare Residents’ Association chairperson, Simbarashe Moyo said the push by Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere to urgently introduce tollgates in Harare would be met with resistance.

“We are totally against this idea of tollgates in town. It’s heartless to force residents to pay more when already we are burdened like this. We have realised that the government has a tendency of demanding money from broke residents whenever it seeks to funds its nefarious activities,” Moyo said.

Kasukuwere on Monday said Harare City Council must introduce urban tollgates as a matter of urgency in order to raise funds to refurbish the dilapidated road infrastructure, which is exposing motorists to accidents.

The Residents’ Forum, an umbrella body representing ratepayers, said the government should first account for money the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (Zinara) collects from vehicle licences and highway tollgates so that citizens could see how transparent the State has been.