Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
TRANSPORT Operators Association of Zimbabwe (TOAZ) expects the on-going US$300 million modernisation works under the Border Efficiency Management Systems (BEMS) in Beitbridge to improve service efficiency.
TOAZ chairman, Mr Albert Bere, said their members have endured many challenges including cargo movement delays in the previous set up at the border.
This has prompted the Government and the Zimborders consortium to embark on the infrastructure and technology upgrade project as part of efforts to enhance the ease of doing business.
The first phase of the civil works, which includes the construction of a new freight terminal, roads, ICT facilities, weigh-bridges, and search bays among others is set to open on October 6.
Phase 2 and 3, which include buses, light motor vehicles, and pedestrians’ terminals will be completed next year.
“It is pleasing to note that the best benefit so far would be the elimination of the Container Depot (CONDEP) since all processes will now be completed within the border post,” said Mr Bere.
“The new freight terminal offers a bigger space to take up to 12 commercial vehicles at a time for both north and southbound traffic. Thus, saving on truck downtime and parking charges at CONDEP is guaranteed.
“Recent updates from the contractor indicate that most of the traffic flow processes will be digitized and the coordination of the Government agencies under such a set-up will ensure accountability.”
Mr Bere said the separation of traffic and terminals will improve the processing times due to dedicated services by Government agencies where only commercial transactions are processed.
He said they had also noted that the ongoing border improvements were coming at a huge final cost to transporters. This, he said, will add to the bottom line and to some extent diluting all the intended benefits for the transporters.
“We are really hoping that some of our current challenges will be addressed with the upgrading of the border facilities,” said Mr Bere.
“At the moment, we are experiencing truck delays caused by uncoordinated processes between Zimra and other Government agencies.
“For instance, some agencies like EMA only open up to 10PM when the border is a 24-hour operation.”
In addition, he said, commercial trucks were currently being directed to CONDEP for Physical Examinations (PEs) where they take days to be processed and get released.
The official said the situation had been worsened by the fact that Zimra opens for services at the place up to 10PM as opposed to 24 hours like what is happening at the main border arena. Mr Bere said, as a result, the transporters were losing several hours daily.
“You will also note the situation at Wafa-Wafa (former commercial arrivals parking bays) is a huge problem, which Zimra has been failing to control for years, leaving drivers jostling to be first in front without any orderliness by the security guards in the yard,” he said.
The official said the current Notification System in place, where only trucks, which have been cleared should cross, is mostly ignored by the South African border official.
Mr Bere said this results in several uncleared vehicles being somehow allowed to cross over to Zimbabwe’s component of the border only to park and block the way.
He said the transporters have also had challenges at the Vehicle Inspectorate Department’s (VID) weighbridges situated within the border post, which cause a huge hindrance to the smooth flow of traffic movement, especially the bottom one.
-@tupeyo
Online Reporter