By Esinathy Sibanda
Government has established five new tollgates on major highways with effect from today as part of efforts to generate more revenue for roads infrastructure development.
In an e-mailed response to questions from The Chronicle, Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) Public Relations Officer, Mr Augustine Moyo, said:
“The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) wishes to advice the motoring public that with effect from tomorrow (today), five new tollgates will be operationalised in terms of the Toll Road Act of 2015.
“These are located at Colleen Bawn along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road, Lothian (37 km before Masvingo) along Mutare-Masvingo Road, 17.5 km from Chivhu along the Chivhu-Nyazura Road, Triangle along Ngundu-Tanganda Road and Mufudzi along the Harare-Bindura-Mt Darwin Road”.
The five are part of 10 new tollgates approved by Government in 2015.
The five outstanding tollgates will be erected at Honeyspruit along the Harare-Masvingo Road, outside Karoi along the Harare-Chirundu Highway, at Dewure along the Mutare-Masvingo Road, in Mwenezi on the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road and in Kazungula along the Victoria Falls-Kazungula Road.
Zinara said tolling fees remain unchanged.
Light vehicle motorists pay $2 while minibuses and buses pay $3 and $4 respectively. Drivers of haulage trucks are required to pay $10 to pass through tollgates.
Zimbabwe already has 26 tollgates along major highways, situated between 15 to 20km from major cities and towns.
Government introduced tollgates in 2009 and has to date collected about $360 million from them.
In another development, Zinara has offered motorists a 100 percent discount on all penalties for outstanding licence fees, valid until September 31 this year.
“The motoring public are advised to visit any Zinara office countrywide and take advantage of this promotion to regularise their vehicle licences before the end of the promotion,” Mr Moyo said.
He said the discount is aimed at achieving compliance with regards to vehicle licensing.
“A number of vehicles are unlicensed and it is illegal to drive an uninsured and unlicensed vehicle on Zimbabwe’s roads. All vehicles that are off the road for whatsoever reason must be exempted by Zinara,” Mr Moyo said. The Chronicle
