Source: Govt awards weighbridge tenders as Senate demands crackdown on overloaded trucks — CITEZW
The government has revealed that it has awarded tenders for the construction of additional weighbridges at strategic points across the country following calls by senators for tougher enforcement against trucking companies, particularly those transporting minerals.
This development comes amid growing concern that overloaded vehicles are accelerating the deterioration of Zimbabwe’s road network.
The issue was raised in the Senate on Thursday, where lawmakers said heavy mining trucks were largely responsible for the premature deterioration of newly rehabilitated roads, prompting the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development to outline measures aimed at curbing overloading and shifting more freight to rail.
Responding to questions, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Felix Mhona, acknowledged overloaded trucks were accelerating road damage and revealed that the government had already awarded contracts for new weighbridges to strengthen enforcement.
“We have already tendered, we have awarded and you will see new weighbridges along very strategic sections of our roads. In the meantime, mining companies should consider shifting freight to rail. The existing railway infrastructure remains underutilised while overloaded trucks continue to shorten the lifespan of roads,” Mhona said.
He said some transporters were deliberately evading law enforcement by travelling at night to avoid existing checkpoints.
“Instead of complying, some of the mining companies have resorted to travelling at midnight so that they avoid our usual checkpoints. The ministry is considering deploying Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) officers on a 24-hour shift system to ensure weighbridges and checkpoints remain operational around the clock,” he said.
Mhona said the government’s long-term strategy was to reduce the burden on roads by requiring mining companies to transport bulk cargo by rail.
“The ideal and long-term solution is that we are going to mandate those trucks, especially those mining companies, to transport their goods through the railway line,” he said.
He added that the government was also seeking private sector investment to strengthen the country’s rail freight capacity.
“We are also inviting the private sector to partake in the exercise of making sure that we have the rolling stock on our railway line so that we transport our goods through the railway line. Therefore, we then lessen the burden on our roads,” Mhona said.
The concerns were first raised by Matabeleland South Senator Solani Moyo, who questioned why roads continued to deteriorate despite ongoing maintenance and asked when highways damaged by heavy trucks would be fully rehabilitated.
Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe Senator Jerry Gotora also expressed concern after witnessing what he believed were overloaded trucks transporting lithium along the recently reconstructed Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road.
“There were twelve 30-tonne lorries after the other, bumper to bumper, moving on the newly-constructed road. I suspected that these were not 30 tonnes, there could have been 50 or more tonnes on those lorries. Why are we not having weighbridges on these roads so that we know exactly what is moving on our roads?” Gotora said.
COMMENTS