UMGUZA, (New Ziana) – Government will soon construct weighbridges at toll gates along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway to protect it from overloaded trucks.
The highway is currently under rehabilitation as part of the government’s ambitious infrastructure repair and development drive.
It serves as a vital artery for regional trade, connecting southern Zimbabwe to the Kazungula Bridge and the wider SADC transport network, with links to Zambia, Namibia, and Botswana.
Against this background, the government has embarked on a major rehabilitation of the highway under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP II).
In an interview, Provincial Roads Engineer for Matabeleland North, Xolani Ncube, said government had already rehabilitated the weighbridge at the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) in Hwange.
He added that this was the first step in a broader enforcement strategy to ensure all trucks using the new road comply with legal tonnage limits.
“We have got a weighbridge in Hwange at VID, and that facility was repaired recently. We will make sure that we monitor the loads, especially for the trucks that are using the infrastructure,” he said.
“We encourage trucks to carry within the stipulated capacity. Anyone found above the load limit will be dealt with by the VID,” Ncube warned.
He explained that over the years, a surge in heavy trucks has severely stressed the road, leading to premature potholes and gullies.
“The moment you carry above the required weight limit, you put stress on the road. Imagine all truckers exceeding the limit daily, this means if the road is built for a 10-year lifespan, it will not reach that,” he explained.
Ncube also highlighted that after the road’s rehabilitation, authorities will push for the installation of weighbridges directly at the tollgates, saying this would create a seamless enforcement net to ensure truckers comply with tonnage requirements.
“We need those truckers to stay within their limits,” he said.
Speaking at a recent Mining, Engineering, and Transport Expo (Mine Entra) expo, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga implored all coal mining firms in Matabeleland North to pool resources together and rehabilitate the railway line from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo for their use.
This initiative is seen as complementary to transporting their product via the highway, and offers a cheaper alternative.
New Ziana
