Vusumuzi DubeThupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Government will soon start transforming all its borders to improve the country’s capacity to facilitate regional and international trade.
Such an initiative will be carried out as part of a number of accelerated infrastructure development programmes that dovetails with an upper-middle-class income by 2030. Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Felix Mhona said Government will soon start working on the Forbes, Chirundu, and Kanyemba border posts’ transformation. He said so far the Government was on course to complete the modernisation of the Beitbridge Port of Entry, at a cost of US$300 million in partnership with the Zimborders Consortium.
The Beitbridge project is being rolled out in three phases, which include the construction of a freight terminal, roads and upgrading of the Information Communication Technology facilities (phase 1), bus terminal (phase 2), and the light vehicles’ terminal (phase 3) and the out of port civil works. The first and second phases have been completed and the third in-port phase is set for completion in November this year. Out of port works are set for completion in April next year.
Minister Mhona made the remarks while addressing an entourage of journalists on Friday in Beitbridge. The media practitioners were on a national tour of infrastructure development projects which fall under the Transport and Infrastructural Development Ministry.
“For those of you who have not been to Beitbridge for more than six months or so, I am upbeat you have been taken by surprise as a result of the changing complexion of the Beitbridge town. Indeed, the face and complexion of the town has completely changed and I am happy that you are all here to see this colossal development for yourselves.
We thank the Zimborders Consortium for the great work they are doing in Beitbridge which dovetails with our vision of creating an Upper Middle-Income economy by 2030.”
Minister Mhona said the ongoing works at Beitbridge were an integral part of the Second Republic’s continuing fulfilment of its role, and obligation to provide new avenues of growth.
He added that using local resources, the Government had so far managed to upgrade a total of 340km along the 600km Beitbridge to Harare Highway.
“We are also working on upgrading the road that links Harare and Chirundu port of entry to the Beitbridge Border Post,” said Minister Mhona.
He said the Government was working on the construction of toll plazas along the major highways as a way of addressing the obtaining congestion at the existing toll gates. Some toll gates, he said will have to be moved to conducive areas as advised by local road engineers.
“At the same time, we want to commend the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) for being able to fully fund our roads construction projects from local resources,” said the Minister.
He said a total of 55 contractors had been engaged nationwide under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) which has also created 10 870 jobs for Zimbabweans. Minister Mhona said the upgrading and transformation of major and feeder roads needed a collective approach by all the road authorities.
He said the transport infrastructure sector was awash with opportunities for Zimbabweans to tap into, with opportunities worth US$200 million presented in 2021, US$120 million in 2022, and US$80 million earmarked for 2023 under ERRP2 alone.
“Clearly there is enough value that is being injected into the market for all contractors to participate and benefit, with US$ 1,3 million having been saved as a result of contracting locals on the Beitbridge-Masvingo-Harare Highway,” said Minister Mhona.
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derick.khumalo
Online Reporter