Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
South Africa’s Ministry of Transport has begun consultations with stakeholders over a new plan to introduce toll fees on vehicles entering its territory through the Beitbridge Border Post.
This will fundamentally change operations at the busy crossing point and realign cost-sharing arrangements with Zimbabwe, which already charges advance tolls on vehicles entering at Beitbridge and has been the South African agent collecting fees for southbound traffic.
Currently, motorists only pay toll fees when entering or leaving the Zimbabwean side of the border.
However, under the new system, South Africa will collect tolls from vehicles entering its side, while Zimbabwe will continue charging for those entering its territory.
The proposed tolling framework was published in South Africa’s Government Gazette on August 15, 2025, through a notice of intent by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy.
The initiative will be spearheaded by the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), which has already started hosting consultation meetings. SANRAL spokesperson Mr Lwando Mahlasela confirmed that the first round of meetings ran between September 8 and 12, with another scheduled for October 17.
He said the toll fees will not only support the construction of a new third freight bridge and modern processing facility under the Smart Border initiative but will also fund routine maintenance of roads and border infrastructure.
“Going forward, South Africa will take over the tolling of the southbound traffic on entering the Beitbridge facility,” he said.
“Zimbabwe will continue collecting its normal toll fees for northbound traffic and stop collections for southbound traffic.”
He added that the revenue would enhance efficiency at the regional gateway, which is notorious for congestion.
“The system will also come with automated and transparent tolling, which will modernise the road user experience,” he said.
“SANRAL, as the implementing agency, will facilitate a comprehensive public engagement process aimed at the general public, the border post stakeholders, other state-owned entities like the Border Management Authority (BMA), South African Revenue Services (SARS), Cross-Border Road and Traffic Agency (C-BRTA), and specifically the affected Limpopo Province municipalities, provincial departments, and the Premier.”
The Beitbridge border post, linking Zimbabwe and South Africa, is one of Africa’s busiest inland ports of entry and a critical trade artery for the Southern African Development Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
On average, it handles 15 000 travellers daily, with numbers surging to around 20 000 during peak seasons. Monthly traffic includes approximately 2 100 buses, 14 000 to 15 000 haulage trucks, and 25 000 private cars.
The move follows concessions agreed upon in 2014 when Zimbabwe assumed ownership of the New Limpopo Bridge at the expiry of a 20-year Build-Operate-Transfer arrangement with New Limpopo Bridge (Ltd), the company that constructed it in 1994.
