By Bernard Chiguvare & Andries van Zyl
The intention of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) to establish a toll gate inside Beitbridge Border Post has drawn criticism from motorists travelling to Zimbabwe and further north.
This past week, SANRAL hosted several public consultation meetings regarding the proposed establishment of the toll gate. These included meetings at the Musina Show Grounds on both Monday and Tuesday, and one at Northgate Lodge outside Louis Trichardt on Wednesday.
The meetings were called after the Minister of Transport, Ms Barbara Creecy, recently approved the intent to toll Beitbridge Border Post. SANRAL, as the implementing agency, is facilitating the consultation process aimed at the public, border post stakeholders, other state-owned entities such as the Border Management Authority (BMA), South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA), and affected municipalities and provincial departments in Limpopo.
But why another toll gate, many motorists have asked? Motorists travelling on the N1 North between Polokwane and Musina are already taxed by Capricorn and Baobab toll plaza. Yet, over the past few years, the condition of this section of the N1 has deteriorated dramatically, creating a dangerous situation. Rightfully, many motorists question whether adding a third toll gate on the N1 North will really make a difference in generating revenue for road maintenance.
This question is not without merit. In November 2023, SANRAL advertised a R1.2 billion tender for the upgrading of the N1 from Louis Trichardt to Masekwaspoort (27.8km) and from Masekwaspoort to Musina (70km). However, in March this year, SANRAL announced that plans to rebuild these sections of the N1 had been put on hold because of a contractual dispute and internal investigations.
In a written response to questions, SANRAL's media relations manager, Lwando Mahlesela, confirmed this week that the R1.2 billion project for upgrading the N1 North was still suspended, "pending the finalisation of the investigations." He added, however, that the section of the N1 earmarked for upgrading was no longer in a poor state, as "it was repaired under the current maintenance project."
As for what necessitates a third toll gate on the N1 North from Polokwane, Mahlesela explained that the revenue collected from this toll gate would be used for the maintenance of the existing Limpopo Bridge and the construction of a new, third bridge, which is being jointly proposed by South Africa and Zimbabwe.
"The proposed toll gate will be located inside the Beitbridge border. It will therefore not affect local traffic between Musina town and Beitbridge. Only people crossing the SA border into Zimbabwe will be affected," said Mahlesela. That, at least, is good news for local motorists.
But news of Beitbridge's being turned into a toll gate is not good news for people travelling into Zimbabwe. The newspaper spoke to several transporters and motorists who regularly use Beitbridge Border Post while travelling to Zimbabwe and further north to Zambia, Tanzania, or the DRC. They expressed concern.
"We are a clearing agency and transporter, and we would like to know what has prompted this initiative and why now. Such a move will have a far-reaching impact on our business. The only way to counter this extra cost is to pass the burden on to our clients, or we will be forced to change our route," said a transporter based in Beitbridge, Zimbabwe.
A motorist who travels regularly between Zimbabwe and South Africa told the newspaper that once the toll gate was established, he would use the Botswana border to get to Zimbabwe. "Although it is a longer route to reach my rural home, using the Botswana border, I would rather use that route to avoid the toll costs," said the traveller.
At least one local resident from Musina told the newspaper that, in his view, a toll gate within the border post was a good thing. He said that many motorists and truck drivers travelling from Polokwane to Zimbabwe avoided toll fees by using the Alldays road. "They destroy our road. Now, at least, they will have to pay, while this toll gate will not affect our local people," he said. For obvious reasons, he did not want to be identified. "My view might not be very popular," he added.