HARARE, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Some motorists in Harare are now spending a lot of productive time in fuel queues as the shortage of the commodity persists in Zimbabwe.

Many social media groups have also been formed where members inform each other where fuel deliveries would have been made.

From this week, filling stations have resorted to rationing the commodity to ensure that as many motorists as possible are served, while tempers are flaring as some motorists, especially commuter omnibus drivers, try to jump the queues arguing that they need to transport people to work.

The shortage also comes at a time that the government will impose a further excise duty of 6.5 U.S. cents per liter for petrol and 7 U.S. cents for diesel with effect from Saturday.

"I don't really know what is happening, but the government does not seem to be telling us the truth about the fuel situation in the country. We always hear that foreign currency has been allocated to buy fuel but we are not so sure about the deliveries," said a distraught motorist who refused to identify himself.

Posting on Facebook, a person named Samaita Gomwe said: "Few cars in Harare are an indication that the fuel crisis has reached another level."

Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said earlier during the week that the shortage had been caused by delays in the making of payments and transport logistics but assured the nation that the government is on top of the situation.

He said that enough letters of credit and other payment forms had been arranged and that the situation would improve "in the next few days."

Lift clubs where people share transport to work instead of using individual vehicles have also been re-established. Enditem

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