VICTORIA FALLS, Aug. 5 (NewsDay Live) – Zimbabwe and South Africa are holding high-level transport talks in Victoria Falls this week, with plans for a third bridge at the Beitbridge Border Post topping the agenda as the two countries seek to improve regional trade and cross-border movement.
Senior officials are reviewing the Bilateral Road Transport Agreement, Bilateral Air Services Agreement and several memoranda of understanding covering road, rail, aviation and border management cooperation.
The meeting follows a senior officials’ session held in Pretoria in May ahead of the fourth Zimbabwe-South Africa Bi-National Commission, where expansion of the Beitbridge crossing was among the key issues discussed.
Beitbridge, Africa’s busiest land border post, handles about 1,000 commercial trucks a day on the North-South Corridor linking South Africa with Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Zimbabwe’s Cabinet has approved plans for a third bridge across the Limpopo River to increase capacity alongside the Alfred Beit Bridge, commissioned in 1929, and the New Limpopo Bridge, opened in 1995.
The talks also come as Zimbabwe accelerates major road infrastructure projects. The Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway is more than 95% complete, while rehabilitation continues on the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls and Harare-Chirundu highways.
Officials from both countries say the negotiations are aimed at modernising transport infrastructure, reducing border delays and improving the flow of trade along the North-South Corridor, a key regional logistics route.
Funding arrangements and implementation timelines for the proposed third bridge are expected to be announced once feasibility studies and technical negotiations are completed.
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