HARARE, Jul 16 (NewsDay Live) -Zimbabwe says the rehabilitation of its key economic artery, the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway has now enters the final stretch in a development expected to restore the country’s ambitions of becoming a southern African transport hub.
Only 31.9km remains unfinished on the 582km highway after a 550.1km stretch was rehabilitated and opened to traffic.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development said the latest milestone followed the opening of an additional 3km section on July 11, bringing the multi-billion-dollar project closer to completion.
“The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development says 550.1km of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway has now been rehabilitated and opened to traffic, leaving just 31.9km before the flagship project reaches completion,” the ministry said.
The highway is the backbone of Zimbabwe’s regional trade network, carrying the majority of the country’s imports and exports to and from South Africa, its largest trading partner. It forms part of the North-South Corridor a vital trade route linking the ports of South Africa with landlocked economies including Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For decades, the road had become a symbol of Zimbabwe’s infrastructure crisis, with sections plagued by potholes, deadly accidents, congestion and costly delays that weighed heavily on businesses and freight operators.
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Government now believes the upgraded highway will improve the movement of goods, reducing transit times and strengthening Zimbabwe’s position as a strategic logistics gateway to southern Africa.
“The completion of the project will improve connectivity, enhance road safety and facilitate the efficient movement of goods and people along this key economic corridor,” the ministry said.
The project has been delivered through a combination of local contractors, with Bitumen World completing the largest portion of the rehabilitation works at 130.3km.
Fossil Contracting has completed 122.6km, while Masimba Holdings delivered 102km. Exodus and Company rehabilitated 98km, Tensor Systems completed 90km, while a 7.2km trial section contributed to the overall 550.1km completed.
The near-completion of the highway comes as Zimbabwe seeks to position infrastructure development as a catalyst for economic growth, particularly in mining, manufacturing, agriculture and tourism — sectors that depend on efficient transport networks.
The mining sector, which has emerged as one of Zimbabwe’s biggest foreign currency earners, relies heavily on reliable road links to move minerals to export markets. Improved logistics infrastructure is expected to reduce costs for exporters and strengthen Zimbabwe’s competitiveness in attracting investment.
The highway’s strategic importance extends beyond Zimbabwe’s borders. As part of the North-South Corridor, it provides a crucial link between regional economies and global markets through South African ports, making its efficiency central to southern Africa’s trade ambitions.
However, economists say the road upgrade will only deliver its full economic potential if supported by reforms that reduce delays at ports of entry and create a more competitive logistics environment.
The Beitbridge Border Post, one of the busiest inland ports in Africa, remains a critical pressure point for regional commerce, with thousands of commercial vehicles using the highway every month.