By Showbiz Reporter-Top Harare socialite Malloti has sparked controversy after breaking a clamp placed on her car by the City of Harare Traffic Enforcement Unit.
The dramatic incident, which took place along Kwame Nkrumah Avenue in the Central Business District (CBD), was caught on camera and quickly went viral on social media.
According to eyewitnesses, Namatai Bhobho, popularly known as Malloti, was seen aggressively manoeuvring her Nissan Note back and forth to dislodge the clamp.
In the process, she damaged her vehicle’s front bumper but managed to free the car.
As she sped away, a man in civilian clothes was caught on video picking up the broken clamp and hurling it at Malloti’s car, shattering the windscreen.
In response, Malloti took to Instagram to defend her actions, lambasting the municipal police and justifying her decision not to pay the fine. She wrote:
“These people clamped me at 4 PM. Where was I supposed to go at that time to pay the fine? I am loaded with badness in my real life. It’s better to get a screen for $70 than to give these people even a dollar. It’s not about the money; I just refused to be weighed down and waste my time. First thing tomorrow morning is replacing the screen; as long as these people haven’t eaten my money, it’s a win for me.”
The City of Harare swiftly issued a statement clarifying that the man who damaged Malloti’s windscreen was not one of their employees.
The local authority also reminded the public that breaking a clamp is a punishable offence. Their statement read:
“We have taken note of the video of a blue motor vehicle, Registration Number AGG 7256, which had been clamped by our parking marshals in the Central Business District. The vehicle is seen being driven back and forth, breaking the clamp in the process. The video further shows a man in civilian attire throwing a piece of the broken clamp at the windscreen of the speeding car. The City wishes to put the following on record:
– The man who is seen throwing the metal object at the car is not a member or employee of the City of Harare. – The breaking of a clamp affixed on a motor vehicle by an authorized officer is an offense. – Consequently, the Harare Traffic Enforcement Unit is keen to interview the owner of the motor vehicle registration number AGG 7256 in connection with the breaking of a clamp.
Members of the public are encouraged to comply with the Harare (Clamping and Tow) Bylaw 2005, which states that the release of clamped vehicles is only upon payment of prescribed fines.”
Malloti is no stranger to online controversy.
Over the years, she has cultivated a reputation for defiant and provocative social media rants, often directed at authorities and detractors.