Published: 2016 September 05 06:42:01 (11640 Views)

THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has urged the government to consider banning long-haul road freight as it causes congestion at the country's border posts and damages the road network.

According to The Chronicle publication, Zimra official Robert Mangwiro, who was speaking on behalf of acting Commissioner-General Happias Kuzvinzwa, said despite the implementation of the one-stop border system at border posts such as Chirundu, long queues of haulage trucks were still common.

"The Government could consider banning long-haul road freight as it causes damages to the road network and congestion at our borders.

"Eliminating or reducing the number of haulage trucks on the road will help decongest our borders," he was quoted saying.

"It will also be critical in boosting the role of the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) giving it significant business."

His sentiments were backed by the chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport Dexter Nduna who said such a move would provide a boon for the NRZ.

"Currently NRZ can reach 60 percent utilisation of its capacity, so we believe in all honesty that Ministry of Transport should put in place a statutory Instrument that remove bulk transportation off the roads and put them on rail.

"Let us utilise NRZ's 60 percent capacity, which is not being utilised by having a quota from all transporters going to NRZ and slowly, but surely we will enhance their efficiency," Nduna said.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo has already hinted plans to ban haulage trucks. He said in July that a legal instrument is being crafted to ban the transportation of bulky goods by road in order to protect the country's road network and boost National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) operations.

The ailing parastatal faces stiff competition from haulage truck operators, which have also been blamed for the spate of accidents in the country. The railways carrier is seeking $400 million for re-capitalisation.





- Chronicle

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