Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, [email protected]
South Africa’s National Road Agency Limited (SANRAL) has completed a series of consultation meetings with various stakeholders as plans to collect toll fees from vehicles entering that country via the Beitbridge Border Post as part of its realignment of border operations gain momentum.
At the moment 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 collects toll fees from 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 as well as top civil servants from both governments.
The new proposal is contained in South Africa’s Government Gazette on 15 August, 2025 outlined by Transport Minister Ms Barbra Creecy under the ministry’s notice of intent.
SANRAL spokesperson Mr Lwando Mahlasela said the public consultation was concluded on 19 September, 2025 according to SANRAL’s legislative mandate.
“Stakeholder consultations included the Cross Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA) and associated bus, tour, freight, and taxi operators,” said Mr Mahlasela.
“A report regarding the consultation process has been compiled for submission to the SANRAL Board.
“The Minister of Transport will then consider the report and determine whether to proceed in accordance with applicable legislation.”
He continued: “Should approval be granted by the minister, preliminary planning indicates that toll operations could start within six to nine months thereafter, subject to implementation requirements.”
The process follows an approval of the intent to toll Beitbridge Border Post by SMs Creecy recently.
The intent to toll was published via Government Gazette No 53178 on 15 August, 2025.
“Travellers crossing the border between the two countries have always paid a toll fee in Zimbabwe — north and south bound (i.e. in both directions). Going forward, South Africa will take over the tolling of the south-bound traffic on entering the Beitbridge facility,” reads the proposal.
In the event the proposal becomes a reality, Zimbabwe will continue collecting toll fees for north-bound traffic and stop collections for south-bound traffic.
According to the Ministry of Transport (South Africa) the toll fees will be used for the construction of a new third freight bridge and a new processing facility to support the Smart Border initiative.
In addition, the ministry intends to use the toll fees for ongoing maintenance of the facilities, roads and bridges.
The port of entry handles an average of 15 000 travellers per day and the number increases to around 20 000 during peak periods.
Further, a total of 2 100 buses, 14 000 to 15 000 haulage trucks and 25 000 private cars pass through the border every month.
The development comes as the neighbouring country is also finalising plans to expand its side of the Beitbridge Border Post to match developments on the Zimbabwean side ahead of the implementation of the One-Stop Border Post (OSPB) concept.
Under the OSPB, two countries share a harmonised border operation to simplify the way business and travellers are cleared once for passage into either country.
In 2023, President Mnangagwa and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa met and agreed in principle on the need to implement the concept to enhance efficiencies in terms of facilitating the movement of people as well as regional and international trade.
