FOLLOWING complaints that affected motorists do not realise value of their money, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has unveiled a market inquiry on towing of vehicles involved in accidents or breakdowns.
Several motorists have complained that privately-owned tow-vehicles usually appear at scenes of accidents or breakdown and immediately start towing the vehicles to the nearest police stations even without consent or agreeing on the fees to be paid by the affected people.
CCPC is since requesting for information from the public who are not satisfied with conditions of service rendered and the price charged by such firms.
“We are conducting a market inquiry in the towing sub-sector, this is in view of complaints received from consumers in the towing sub-sector that were not satisfied with conditions of the services, and did not realise the value of their money,” CCPC says.
“To understand the sector better and protect consumers of the towing service, CCPC is inviting members of the public around the country to submit their experiences,” the notice read in part.
It stated that CCPC is mandated to review the operations of the market in Zambia and the conditions of competition in those markets.
“CCPC is also mandated to protect consumers, to achieve this, the Commission undertakes market inquiries in order to understand and appreciate the operations of a sector of the economy,” it stated.
Toothless bully dog. You have already received complaints why not investigate the matter???
Investigation begings by enquiry. The people who are experiencing these things and providing these complaints can be useful in providing information such as which firms they have been dealing with and how much they were charged. Maybe they are toothless bulldogs as you say, but they are not wrong in asking the public for information. Is that not investigating?
Incompetence, You have the public complaining yet you can not investigate?? this is silliness. They better get serious than this nonsense..
visit rural areas as well.
these towing company connive with traffic officers. initially police officers get cut for calling the towing service. This is why these towing companies make you dance to their tunes since they are empowered by police officers.
Those tow trucks are owned by Policemen and if you have noticed, the do not even have Road Tax, Fitness ETC. its Total AKEF CIRCUS !
Kays you are right these companies are associated to the ever corrupt traffic police. But the greater failure is on our insurance industry & our understanding of the policies we sign into (that’s for motorists with insurance). I think insurance industry regulators should take a keen interest into this. I applaud the making of motor insurance mandatory.
Police officers are part and parcel of this problem. Please investigate the traffic officers as well.
I was once involved in a minor accident, and within no time an officer and a tow truck were at the scene. Realising I was not Zambian, they started harassing me, trying to tow away my vehicle. I told them that I will report the car stolen should they dare tow my car, and suddenly they were gone… quicker than they arrived.
The police force should be looking after the welfare of the people.
Let the tow trucks be under the supervision of RATSA the nonsense will stop
ba genk muli babufi. whjy cant you people tell the truth. back to the isue, most of the towing trucks belong to the trafic officers. but the insurance must be proactive enough hence they should be providing towing trucks too. they should be working 24/7. now our insurance companies are totally not reliable so the police take advantage.
therefore CCPC must not investigate this nonsence but put up measures that will protect the motorists from being abused by these hopeless traffic police.
Yeah thats sounds good especially Mabreeza of Kitwe and his jerabos towing crew.Their towing truck does not even comply to the minimum road safety standards of the country but yet you see the traffic police calling these guys to tow your car.By the time the accident reach the police station,car accessories like spare wheel,car steereo,jack,battery and any valuables stuff have been taken.
you are very right.
i do not know why the police have tolerated that thug this long…
These tow trucks are working with the traffic police who get a cut from the fees paid by the owners of the towed vehicles.