Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Zimpapers Reporter
MATABELELAND NORTH Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Richard Moyo, has urged the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) to take a firm stance against overloaded trucks along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road to preserve this crucial infrastructure.
Heavy-duty trucks, particularly those transporting coal from Hwange, have been cited as a major contributor to the deterioration of the road. The situation has worsened as more merchants resort to road transport due to operational challenges affecting the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).
Speaking during a recent media road assessment tour by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara), Minister Moyo lamented the damage caused by the trucks.
“Government has poured in a lot of money towards the rehabilitation of this road and we are calling upon the VID to be decisive in dealing with any overloaded truck. We want to see the presence of VID and other road traffic enforcement agencies like the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP),” said Minister Moyo.
He stressed that enforcement of regulations must not be limited to targeted operations but should become standard practice. Besides protecting the road, such measures also reduce traffic accidents and, in turn, safeguard human life.
“I am reiterating again the need to jealously guard and protect this road. Its impact on the country’s economic growth, in line with Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), cannot be overemphasised. It’s not negotiable. VID, do your part — and this goes to other agencies,” said Minister Moyo.
His call for strict action against overloaded trucks follows a similar warning from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development, which stated that any truck found overloaded on the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road, or any other major highway, will face severe penalties and fines as prescribed by law. The ministry emphasised that recent investments in national road infrastructure, including the ongoing Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road Rehabilitation and Upgrading Project, are vital for economic growth, tourism and public safety. To protect this critical infrastructure and ensure its longevity, there will be zero tolerance for overloaded vehicles.
The enforcement exercise is part of efforts to safeguard massive national investments under the Second Republic’s infrastructure modernisation drive, spearheaded by President Mnangagwa.
“This serves as a formal notice to all motorists and transport operators regarding the strict enforcement of axle load regulations on Zimbabwe’s major highways,” said the ministry in a recent statement.
To ensure compliance, Government will soon install weighbridges along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road. The provincial roads engineer confirmed that the weighbridge at VID Hwange has been repaired, while plans are underway to install similar infrastructure at tollgates to avoid multiple stops along the highway, which disrupt economic activity.
VID deputy director, Mrs Eustina Nyathi, said the system will include weigh-in-motion technology, allowing vehicles to be screened according to load. Overloaded vehicles will be diverted to the weighbridge, weighed, delayed and detained for compliance.
“They have to offload to continue their journey for the preservation of these new roads,” said Mrs Nyathi.
