Motorists driving between Beitbridge and Harare or Bulawayo have urged the government to ensure unfinished sections of the two major roads are completed as they had become increasingly non-trafficable.
Apart from extensive damage to vehicles, the incomplete sections have become treacherous because of disrepair with some parts exposing motorists to criminals, who jump onto vehicles to steal.
The rehabilitation of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, which started in 2019, is about 108 kilometres away from completion with 472km out of the total 580km of the road now open to traffic.
Government engaged five local companies; Tensor Systems, Masimba Holdings, Fossil Contracting, Exodus & Company and Bitumen World for the road words.
Some contractors who spoke on condition of anonymity said the government owed them millions for roadworks completed so far.
It is understood that the roadworks suffered a severe setback after the government redirected some of the contracted companies to spruce up Harare roads to ensure delegates attending the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit, which ended yesterday had a smooth ride.
Harare roads received a major facelift ahead of the Sadc summit, but the same cannot be said of sections of the roads from Beitbridge to Bulawayo or Harare.
Motorists told The Standard in interviews that they were frustrated with the state of sections of the two major roads, which are some of the busiest and economic lifelines of the country.
- Byo armed robber in court
- Woman jailed 12 years for indecent assault
- Magistrate jailed 3 years for abuse of office
- Zim’s poor batting hands India series
Keep Reading
"After embarking on one of the most noble projects the country has ever witnessed, it’s sad the job has been half done.
“It makes a mockery of the whole exercise," a cross-border haulage trucker Evans Mushana said.
"All completed sections of the road between Harare and Beitbridge are a marvel, but that experience is erased from the mind once you pass Rutenga towards Masvingo where you drive through almost 40 kilometres of a nightmare ride.”
Other incomplete sections on the Harare to Beitbridge road include the stretch from Jaka Primary School to Masvingo, just before Harare, Mbudzi Interchange and some five kilometres before Beitbridge where a road over rail bridge is due.
"The Bulawayo- Beitbridge is an insult on President Emmerson Mnangagwa's plan of not leaving any place behind. Those companies tasked to build those roads should respect motorists," said Anele Ndlovhu, a crossborder transporter.
The section from Malala tollgate to the 70 kilometre peg towards Bulawayo is a sorry sight.
In a recent interview an official of Steps and Paths, a Bulawayo company contracted to upgrade a section of the road vowed not to undertake the project until they were paid.
Efforts to get comments from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development since Thursday were fruitless.
