Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
STAKEHOLDERS have called for a consultative process over the new Beitbridge border access toll fees being levied on vehicles by Zimborders Consortium, which they feel are “too” expensive.
The Zimborders Consortium is charging US$40 for light delivery vehicles, US$80 for buses, US$200, and US$175 for commercial tricks respectively for a one-way access route through the border.
This is in addition to other levies and New Limpopo Bridge toll fees paid to the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara), and the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID).
Commercial trucks require at least US$850 to access the Port of Entry both ways, and this includes all the road levies and carbon tax.
Buses and light delivery vehicles need an average of US$300 to access the border both ways.
It is also understood that private motorists will part away with around US$150 to access the border two ways by November this year.
In separate interviews, representatives of different organisations and the local authority said the new border user fees were “too expensive” and feared this will adversely affect the town’s economic activities and their source of livelihood, which is anchored on cross-border trade.
“The current toll fees are not realistic, this will drive most of us out of business and it is important that they be revised down to modest figures,” said Mr Tafadzwa Chiuta a representative of Beitbridge Light Cross Border Transporters.
“There is no proper communication on the proper traffic flow and toll fees for light vehicles.
In some instances, you might leave for South Africa without paying toll fees and when you return you are told to pay varied figures of between US$40 and US$80 depending on the load you will be carrying.”
Beitbridge Informal Traders Association chairman, Mr Mafios Macheka, who represents more than 500 traders, said they were gravely concerned with the extra costs of doing business via the border.
He said the new fees will result in service providers such as transporters and suppliers passing on the burden from new toll fees to the informal traders during procurement.
“Our view is that there should be a consultation process between the Zimborders and the local community, which has been hard hit by the new developments,” said Mr Macheka.
Beitbridge Business Association Coordinator, Mr Clevers Moyo, said they were in the process of engaging Zimborders over the issue particularly for local businesses because of their proximity to South Africa where they do most of their orders.
“We have had a similar arrangement for the New Limpopo Bridge toll fees, which are now being handled by Zinara and we should consider going along that route,” said Mr Moyo.
Town Clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, said if travel to South Africa was expensive, it will slow down growth or make commodities from that country expensive.
He said already motorists were paying Zinara bridge toll fees and that the new toll fees will further burden them.
“We need a consultative stakeholder meeting with Zimborders.
That meeting is key and must happen so that the Zimborders project does not fail,” said Mr Ramakgapola.
“We appreciate the development at the border, but we need to buy in from users of the border.”
Secretary for Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Theodius Chinyanga said they were yet to get a formal complaint from the community over the new toll fees.
“Once we have the specifics from the concerned parties, we will sit down with our partners and see how best we can attend to the issue of Beitbridge residents and businesses who use this border daily,” he said.
“As a government we are alive to the importance of cross border activities to the economy of Beitbridge town.”
— @tupeyo
Online Reporter