South Africa plans new toll fees at Beitbridge Border

THE South African government is planning to collect toll fees on vehicles entering the country via the Beitbridge Border Post, a move aimed at realigning its border operations.

At present, motorists are only charged toll fees on the Zimbabwean side of the border.

Under the proposed plan, Zimbabwe will continue collecting tolls from vehicles entering its side, while South Africa will levy tolls on vehicles entering its territory.

This development follows several agreements made when Zimbabwe took over ownership of the New Limpopo Bridge (NLB) in June 2014, ending a 20-year Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement with New Limpopo Bridge Ltd, the company that constructed the bridge, which was jointly commissioned by the late former Presidents Robert Mugabe and Nelson Mandela in 1994.

The handover ceremony was held on the Zimbabwean side and was witnessed by the then Transport Minister Dr Obert Mpofu, his South African counterpart Minister Dipuo Peters, and senior officials from both governments.

The proposal was published in South Africa’s Government Gazette on August 15, under Transport Minister Ms Barbra Creecy’s notice of intent, and stakeholders have until September 19 to submit comments before the new order is enacted.

“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,” read the notice.

“In terms of section 27 (4)(a) of the South African National Road Agency Limited and National Roads Act, 1998 (Act no. 7 of 1998), the South African National Roads Agency limited hereby gives notice of its intention to recommend to the Minister of Transport the declaration of the following National Roads section a toll road;

“A portion of the existing National Road N1 section 29X, commencing from points L478 and R502 on plan No. P100p/17 up to the South Africa/Zimbabwe International Border, as declared a national road in terms of Government Notice. 330 of 2018 in Government Gazette 41512.”

The proposed toll road falls within the South African side of the Beitbridge International Border Post, encompassing roads, parking areas, and buildings. The route, located in Limpopo province within the Musina Municipal District, stretches approximately 1,1 km.

“The toll for traffic travelling in a southbound direction and that is currently collected by Zimbabwean Authorities on the Zimbabwean side of the border post is intended to be collected on the South African side within the South African border area,” said Minister Creecy.

“The toll may be collected within the border area or another location that will be best suited, taking into account all the border activities that are currently or may in future take place within the border post area, as well as the method of payment.”

The notice stated that in terms of section 27 (4) (a)(ii) of the South African National Road Agency Limited and National Roads Act, all interested persons are hereby invited to comment and make written representations, by September 19, which is the closing date, being a date not less than 30 days from the date of this notice.

According to the notice, all interested persons are invited to submit written representations to SANRAL by September 19, with details addressing the proposed toll road. Submissions must be emailed to [email protected]

“SANRAL shall only consider representations forwarded to them in the manner contemplated above, which are actually received and processed by the closing date. All other representations may be disregarded.”

Beitbridge Border Post is one of the busiest ports of entry in Southern Africa, averaging 15 000 travellers per day, with numbers rising to around 20 000 during peak periods.

Monthly traffic includes approximately 2 100 buses, 14 000 to 15 000 haulage trucks and 25 000 private cars.