Story by John Nhandara
THE Beitbridge Border Post Freight Terminal has doubled its daily freight handling capacity, rising from an average of 500 to 1 000 trucks per day due to the massive upgrading of the facility.
Efficiency continues to improve at the Beitbridge border post following the upgrading of the port of entry.
During a tour by the visiting African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) delegation, authorities highlighted that the redesign of the terminal, including the separation of traffic streams, has been key to improved performance.
“The end game for Beitbridge border post is to become a one-stop border post with our trading partner, South Africa, so the designs are already made for that. The biggest drive is towards efficiency. There is an expectation that whatever provisions are available, it’s no longer business as usual. For the past two months, we reached our optimal of handling one thousand trucks a day, up from a post-construction figure of 547,” ZIMBOADERS General Manager, Mr Nqobile Ncube noted.
“The separation of traffic has enabled us to be more efficient, and we are also utilising. The APRM delegation has been pleased by the efficiency at the border post,” Acting Assistant Regional Immigration Officer, Moses Mutepfe said.
“This is one of the most efficient border posts we have seen, and our appreciation of the border post will inform our final report,” APRM lead Council Member for Zimbabwe, Ambassador Aly El Hefney added.
Meanwhile, the delegation met with the Beitbridge community as part of their targeted economic review process.
“We are holding this process to ensure transparency and accountability because we believe as a country, we have nothing to hide,” APRM Interim CEO, Ambassador Rofina Chikava said.
“This has been an insightful engagement with the stakeholders. We got an understanding in terms of devolution, something many people didn’t understand,” the beneficiaries noted.
“This is an important exercise to showcase what we have as Matebeleland South and also identify areas that need improvement,” Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Albert Nguluvhe added.
The APRM delegation has been on a tour of the country’s provinces, holding consultations with various stakeholders as part of their targeted economic review process, which focuses on the country’s economic governance and management thematic area.
