Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
SOUTH AFRICA’S Ministry of Transport has set into motion plans to collect toll fees on vehicles entering that country via Beitbridge as part of its realignment of border operations.
At present, motorists are only levied toll fees upon entering or leaving the Zimbabwean side of the border.
Under the new plan, South Africa is proposing that Zimbabwe will only collect toll fees on vehicles entering its border, while South Africa will collect from those entering its border.
The latest development is part of the many concessions made when Zimbabwe took over ownership of the New Limpopo Bridge (NLB) in June 2014 at the end of the 20 years Build Operate and Transfer arrangement with New Limpopo Bridge (Ltd), a company that constructed the bridge in 1994.
The handover-takeover ceremony was held at the duty-free shop on the Zimbabwean border and witnessed by Zimbabwe’s then Transport Minister Dr Obert Mpofu and his South African counterpart (then) minister Dipuo Peters and top civil servants from both governments.
The new proposal is contained in South Africa’s Government Gazette on August 15 as outlined by Transport Minister Ms Barbara Creecy under the ministry’s notice of intent.
The minister has since invited those with submissions to do so by end of day on September 19 this year before the new order kicks in.
“Notice of intent . . . National road N1: Section 29X of the intention to declare that section of the national road N29 from the entrance to the Beitbridge Border Post to the South African/ Zimbabwe international border as a toll road,” said the Transport Minister in the notice.
According to the notice, the proposed toll road falls within the area that comprises the South African side of Beitbridge International border post that includes roads, parking areas and buildings.
The route is located in Limpopo province and Musina Municipal District, stretching for approximately 1,1km.
