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EXPOSED SCAM : RTSA Officers Charging Zambians In Foreign Currency At BORDERS
Zambian nationals driving into Zambia from neighbouring countries are being charged US Dollar Toll Fees. This practice has been going on for years.
The arrangement is illogical and is being abused. We wonder where the Government is expecting Zambians to get US Dollars from each time the drive into Zambia. Our understanding is that the Zambian Legal Tender is Kwacha. Why are citizens being forced to use foreign currency, we are not foreigners. America will never force you to pay in Kwacha.
An inquiry at Chirundu Border revealed that Government Officials are involved in the illegal Black Market Trade of US Dollars. When you go to the RATSA office, the cashier tells you that he is not allowed to receipt in Kwacha but US Dollars and he shows you where to go and change your Kwacha into US Dollars often at an exorbitant rate.
The money changers take advantage because they know you have no way to confirm the rate and also the Bureau’s only open at certain times, so they will overcharge you.
The real story is that the same Government Officials are the ones selling/changing the money that’s why they direct innocent people to change Kwacha into US Dollars before they can accept it.
We appreciate that the Zambian Government needs FOREX but not from its citizens, there are other ways to obtain the money.
Our appeal is that let the Government allows us to have choice of presenting either Kwacha or US Dollar unless the Kwacha is so fake that even the Government doesn’t want it any more.
Concerned Zambia Citizen
Posted by Editor
on December 9, 2011. Filed under LATEST NEWS, NEWS.
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Champi
December 9, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Alakwena umuntu mubi. Man is evil. Kanshi Lesa ninshi abela ifi. On average man is evil and will take advantage of the other. Ubwafya umuntu (abengi) alitemwicha indalama. Chimo naba abakongola elyo pakubwesha chaba ilyashi. I hope you as you read you dont owe someone ka mane walishupa ukumupela. Kalipilefye CHIKALA CHOBE!
Educated
December 9, 2011 at 12:54 pm
That is strange. Surely, how can we be subjected to paying in US dollars by our own Zambian offices in Zambia for that matter. I think there are a lot of cobwebs at RTSA. RTSA needs cleansing immediately to get rid of those cobwebs.
Chilbit
December 9, 2011 at 1:02 pm
This trend of charging Zambians in Us dollar by RTSA is not new.Infact it’s rotten with corruption.A broom is needed to sweep RTSA.
It is true
December 9, 2011 at 1:03 pm
@champi.Abemba, why comment in Bemba as if everyone speaks and understands it.Its amazing every comment in Bemba is blessed with an insult.Every blogger insults in bemba.Can someone enlighten me , are bembas naturally insolent and obscene because they curse too much?
Prof. Zick or Lion man
December 9, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Teku America kuno ba buju(police)
wills
December 9, 2011 at 1:06 pm
The Government must protect us from such abuse; this happens at Kazungula boarder also; where one is carrying pula currency, instead of just changing into legal tender of Zambian currency as one is paying to a GRZ office, the oficers require USA or Rand! this is abvious exploitation of man by man to borrow KK’S words. It has turned to be too expensive to travel home on a regular basis in a year.
RTSA Monk
December 9, 2011 at 1:15 pm
@It is True, tom bar kno call swine, if you don’t like a comment in Bemba, don’t read it and don’t comdemn it, stan your call, cheekala !
Alex Ferguson Has Chewed 1 ton of Gum This Year
December 9, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Question is: Are RATS sorry RATSA officials cashing in USD to GRZ? If answer is No, then they are extorting, laundering and trading illegally in foreign currency. They are teeming and lading GRZ money by giving to their boys to resell back to you.
DEC, move in arrest the chaps. Min of Home Affairs, increase the number of prisons, u have new customers.
mary
December 9, 2011 at 1:18 pm
We thank God for PF government, zambia was rotten and now its showing signs of life. JUST IMAGINE IF SATA
AND PF DID NOT WIN!!! Your excellency may God bless
you, you came at a time like this to rescue GODs children from these sakalanyongos. STEALING ESPECIALLY FROM THE POOR IS A CURSE NOT ONLY UPON YOU BUT YOUR GENERATION! GOD PROMISED TO DEAL WITH SUCH PIPO HIMSELF, better a GOOD NAME THAN BILLIONS OF STOLLEN MONEY AND PROPERTY!!!
NGOSHE PA NKOLOKO
December 9, 2011 at 1:30 pm
SO WHAT..?BORING…………..NEXT?
dodi
December 9, 2011 at 1:35 pm
its not borders alone that charge in usa dollars any rtsa office ll charge you in dollars when you are paying for toll fees the receipts are issued in dollars and they cash in dollars to GRZ when they collect
NGOSHE PA NKOLOKO
December 9, 2011 at 1:35 pm
SO WHAT//?
1.CELTEL USED TO SELL AIRTIME IN DOLLARS
2.AIRPORT FARES ARE CHARGED IN DOLLARS
3.AIR TICKETING IS DONE IN DOLLAR FOR LOCAL FLIGHTS
4.HOTEL FARE ARE CHARGED IN DOLLARS
5.RUBBISH
mtunda mbuzi
December 9, 2011 at 1:42 pm
ur cming zambia 4rm botswana ur askd 2 pay poonton in rands thats rubish
Alex Ferguson Has Chewed 1 ton of Gum This Year
December 9, 2011 at 1:44 pm
If Rats charge in USD (not Zim ones) and they give you a genuine receipt in USD then 1. they are honest and 2. they do not believe in kwacha.
bemba girl
December 9, 2011 at 1:45 pm
i do not agree with the notion that bembas are the only ones insulting. i can insult in englis but that does not make me an english person. i can also do it tonga, lozi, tumbuka, lenje, zulu, french and all the other languages but that does not mean that am of that ethinic group!! i do not condon the use of abusive language in any way, to me it come out as if this site is many to express your fastration (through insults) to the world. we all have the right to freedom of expression but can we please not step on others peoples rights while we exercise our rights to do so. this is potraying a picture that all bembas insult, which is like saying that all arabs are terrorist. lets not generalize and please comment on the topic at hand. na landa na pwisha. lesa apale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Silas ndelelwa
December 9, 2011 at 1:51 pm
The pontoon at kazungula strictly charging in dollars for any vehicle. To them kwacha is rubbish! Sorry zambia
bemba girl
December 9, 2011 at 1:52 pm
and about the charging in dollars issue, hotels, flights, national parks, pontons, soon even hookers will be charging in dollars (if they dont already). so what are they tring to tell us??? that we should be moving around with dollrs??? then what the point of having kwacha???
Lundazi Dweller
December 9, 2011 at 1:52 pm
Do they issue receipts or not? If receipts are issued then it can hardly be called a scam. All you can do is ask why it is like that and lodge a complaint. Pa Zambia its too much of talking and complaints
Infor
December 9, 2011 at 2:04 pm
This is not just at the border, last time i was buying an air ticket i was charged in dollar but since i had kwacha they had to convert it to dollar at a rate that was k200 higher than the exchange rate…that resulted me to lose about USD 180…and thats not just one incedent, so its very common in Zambia especially in this time when kwacha is doing so bad…
Mzekezeke
December 9, 2011 at 2:14 pm
One out of all da bembaz who write on Tumfweko Bemba girl has done it da best way, i think u must b principled. Pls take my # 846407447
Anne
December 9, 2011 at 2:26 pm
I once worked at Kazungula and Vicfalls borders this money is paid by trucks which are not Zambian Reg; And the reciepts are in US Dollars and the Goverment Account is in US Dollars. These are NON Zambian M/V
Failed PF govt
December 9, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Am from Chirundu Border and this is how it works…Any foreign truck buys toll fee(USD)/carrier licence and carbon tax for it to drive in zambia roads regarding a been driven by Zambian/Zimbabwe/South Africa/Tanzania/Malawi Driver but as long as it is not a zambian registration.
SHIKOLOKOMBWA
December 9, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Please get facts right.What RTSA are charging in foreign currency are trucks registered in other countries.If you are a Zambian driver working for a company with trucks registered in South Africa,Malawi,DRC,Namibia for example do not complain.Toll fees and carbon tax will always be charged in US dollar.Ask us before u spread lies.
abs
December 9, 2011 at 2:36 pm
I wish this can reach the offices of those in govt who can make changes.There is just too much corruption at the border.Things have to be straightened sooner than later.the govt is losing lots of money thru this.
Mr. Gomez
December 9, 2011 at 2:53 pm
@ Failed PF govt, SHIKOLOKOMBWA, Anne and others in support.
Your justification doesn’t make sense still. Supposing these people driving foreign registered MV’s have Kwacha on them why refuse to accept and instead refer them to street people to convert to US Dollars. The point is Why should a country insist on foreign currency instead of their own.
They should accept both currencies. Our money is Kwacha and not Dollars.
Do not try to justify what doesn’t make sense. There is high possibility of abuse here.
If something has been done wrongly before let us get it corrected, this is wrong. Bravo Tumfweko for bringing this up.
opness
December 9, 2011 at 3:04 pm
it is true anyone is free to comment a language want if some people does not understand is not real a problem the comment are not official people be ok even without such comment so donont limit others comment in whatever language you wish
Alex Ferguson Has Chewed 1 ton of Gum This Year
December 9, 2011 at 3:21 pm
@Mzekezeke – U have cracked me, bob! Funny indeed.
Kalok
December 9, 2011 at 4:12 pm
@ Anne and @Failed PF govt, stop defending the indefensible please. I have on several occasions paid with Kwacha at border posts other than the two you mention and my car is foreign reg. It is NOT A REGULATION that you are quoting, it is CONVENTION that has been adopted by the border posts because the majority of transiting drivers have no time to carry Kwacha. DO NOT THEREFORE turn a convention into a REGULATION!!! There is no where that it states what you are saying. I am very annoyed with your lack of knowledge. I trust since you once worked there you were fired for some other ignorance you expressed at some point!
kopala swag
December 9, 2011 at 4:36 pm
all foreign vehicles r charged in dollarz weda u zambian or tswana as long as u drivin a foreign vehicl ul b chargd n reciepts r given so its nt a scam ba tumfweko ask b4 u post
Submit comment
December 9, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Ndipo pali vizungu,.Eh,ine nayopa,…Opness u’v made my day.
The Mammal
December 9, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Let us be sensible, travel to SA, they will never tell you to pay in US Dollars but will give you an option to pay in Rand or US Dollar. That’s how it should be. Scam or Not the practice is fraud and provides an opportunity for chancers. At Chirundu, in the same office you find RTSA is a Siavonga Municipal Council person who charges in Kwacha. Why doesn’t he ask for dollars.
Foreign plate or not, give an opportunity for people to pay in you local currency.This is the message from the writer.
The Mammal
December 9, 2011 at 6:02 pm
OPNESS: Your English Teacher over charged you. Go and ask for change, you should have paid less because he didn’t do his job properly. Just use your language and I know you are my Mbuya (Bemba).
reality
December 9, 2011 at 8:08 pm
@bemba girl,want currency do you ask for????????? ????????.
allan
December 9, 2011 at 8:46 pm
even pariament they present the budget in dollars.Is not RTSA alone ZRA will give you value in dollars.So its gvt to blem not RTSA We chipuba
Imuzovu
December 9, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Eeye mwacindizya nobabemba macendaanu andinywe n tunyo twenu na mizindo yenu!owez insulting azif its consolation 4bing theives o illitarets.hu sez everybody understands bemba?if its a tonga guy ati tribalism.dis is our country olov us!one zed one nation u ethnik ass holes!
Nightmare
December 9, 2011 at 11:23 pm
But kwena muleba indalama ba fikala ninshi tamulya tefyo?Ba sata disove dis ****** board
Ligwinya
December 10, 2011 at 3:19 am
Ba Tumfweko it is NOT RATSA but RTSA and NOT ZICAS but ZCAS. You are not talking but writing. Charges in USD are only levied on foreign registered vehicles entering Zambia (or those going out if using the pontoon)regardless of the nationality of the driver. Receipts are also issued in USD and I would assume that is what is submitted to GRZ. At Kazungula this is only done by RTSA and ESCO.ZRA charges either in foreign currency or ZMK for Carbon Tax, Carrier licence etc. Please get your facts right before lambasting anybody.
bemba girl
December 10, 2011 at 7:18 am
@reality- you disappoint me with your line of thinking, but I could care less anyway because it matters less to me want you think. And be carefull what you say, you might endup facing a defamation law suit. Lesa akwelele.
shad chanda
December 10, 2011 at 3:54 pm
Airport, hotels, game parks all charges in Dollar. The wrong part is over charging.
Mathatha
December 10, 2011 at 10:41 pm
Am just from the border ad was askd to pay in USA$. So am tired of being exploited by these ungrateful thugs. PLS can someone send me the direct line to His Excellence The President(Mr Sata). I want to talk to him direct i know is a man of action.
ce
December 10, 2011 at 11:03 pm
Hai guyz,
what i think is that we need some level of education regarding what goes on in border areas. When one enters the country, they are charges that are obvious eg. Using kazungula as our study case, all foreign registered m/v are by law required to pay toll fee which is receipted in us dollars, please zambians read the tolls act. If pipo are issued govt receipt which is banked at the end of the day or the following wrking day then its not a scam! May be the issue is why changing from bot pula or s/african rands into us dollars? Again just read on what the tolls act says, please ba tumfweko mukwai before u posted this story u shud have confirmed wif rtsa mgt. Thank u
Alicia
December 11, 2011 at 7:48 am
It’s bullshit for one to accuse the officers when the receipts are issued.only a fool can accuse the officers.my advice to those who planning to come to Zambia is that if you can’t afford to pay then don’t come or use a njinga .paying in dollars is the policy and the requirement of Zambian government..
mill click up chapi
December 11, 2011 at 3:26 pm
These guys are mad indeed,past dam shit gvment,the is mo to see if thy did on earth,