Road upgrade changes face of Beitbridge

THE completed 5km dual carriageway linking Beitbridge Border Post and the highways leading to Bulawayo and Masvingo has transformed the face of the border town.

The Beitbridge road works, in particular, are part of the flagship Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu Highway rehabilitation, a critical component of the North-South corridor.

The road leading to the border post, which is one of the busiest in the country, has been completely overhauled and now conforms to international standards.

The Second Republic managed to complete the project mid-last year after engaging Bitumen World to fully implement the project.

Under the Infrastructure, Utilities and Digital Economy cluster, Zimbabwe’s economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy (NDS 1) prioritises the completion of road rehabilitation projects.

In an interview recently, Bitumen World site engineer Tinotenda Hove said besides constructing the dual carriageway they also built two unique traffic circles, which resemble the iconic Great Zimbabwe conical towers in terms of design.

In interviews yesterday, motorists and other road users commended the Second Republic for completing the dual carriageway project, which also helped de-congest the border, particularly during the festive season.

“The road from Beitbridge Border Post to the Beitbridge-Masvingo road turn off-road is the preface that ushers people into our country coming through South Africa. In the past, it was disappointing for visitors to be welcomed into the country given the poor state of the roads,” said Mr Kudakwashe Chasauka.

He said the dual road has significantly lifted the image of, not only the town but the country as well. Mr Chasauka said the creation of a four-way stop at a busy intersection near the Zesa Pension Fund Shopping Complex had helped reduce road traffic accidents.

Ms Thavhiso Mabidi said the upgrading of the road had improved the face of the town.

“The rehabilitation of the road linking the border and the Bulawayo and Masvingo highways has a positive impact on property value, making the town more attractive for business,” she said.

Another motorist, Mr Zibusiso Ndlovu said the opening up of the road had helped reduce issues of vehicles congestion as they leave or enter the town.

“The old road could not accommodate large volumes of traffic, and Beitbridge used to experience a lot of traffic jams triggered by trucks and small vehicles. The completion of the new dual carriage road has also enhanced the aesthetic looks of this town,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu urged the local authority to install street lights along the 5km stretch including a billboard welcoming visitors to the border town.

Ms Remaketsi Mbedzi said: “Finally, something good has happened in Beitbridge and as residents, we are grateful to the Second Republic for walking the talk in terms of developments that leaves no one and no place behind.”

Beitbridge Town Clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, said the road works coupled with the US$300 million modernisation of the border post has helped enhance the beauty of the border town and boost investment.

“We are seeing more people visiting the border town due to an efficient border post and this will boost business in the town. The standard set in the border upgrade may spill over into setting the standards for infrastructure in the town, especially looking at how the roads have changed the face of our town,” he said.

“We are likely to see developers benchmarking against the high standard at the border, which would be a positive development for the town.” — @tupeyo