BEITBRIDGE Border Post, one of southern Africa’s busiest transit points, has doubled its daily freight handling capacity from an average of 500 to 1 000 trucks.
This milestone was achieved following a major upgrading and modernisation of the freight terminal, positioning the port as a strategic regional trade hub.
Efficiency gains at the border have been steadily increasing since the redesign of the facility under the ongoing modernisation project.
During a tour by the visiting African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) delegation recently, authorities showcased the transformative impact of the new layout, which has significantly streamlined operations.
A key feature of the redesign has been the effective separation of traffic streams, allowing smooth movement and reducing congestion.
Zim Borders general manager Nqobile Ncube highlighted the long-term vision tied to these improvements.
“The end game for Beitbridge Border Post is to become a one-stop border post with our trading partner, South Africa,” he said.
“The designs for that are already in place. The biggest drive is towards efficiency.
- ‘Zim’s tax regime promotes evasion’
- Beitbridge border situation back to normal
- Border chaos: Panicky govt acts after SA rebuke
- ‘Zim’s tax regime promotes evasion’
Keep Reading
“For the past two months, we have reached our optimal of handling 1 000 trucks a day, up from a post-construction figure of 547.”
Authorities added that the separation of traffic streams — commercial, buses and light vehicles — has been a game-changer.
“The separation of traffic has enabled us to be more efficient, and the APRM delegation has been pleased with the progress,” said acting assistant regional immigration officer Moses Mutepfe.
The visiting APRM team expressed satisfaction with the improvements, describing Beitbridge as one of the most efficient border posts they have assessed.
“This is one of the most efficient border posts we have seen, and our appreciation of the border post will inform our final report,” noted APRM lead council member for Zimbabwe, Aly El Hefney.
Beyond touring the border infrastructure, the APRM delegation engaged the Beitbridge community as part of its 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,” said APRM interim chief executive officer, Rofina Chikava.
The APRM team continues its tour across provinces, consulting citizens and institutions as part of its economic governance and management review.
