Motorists using the Bulawayo-Maphisa Road have raised concern over the deteriorating condition of the highway.
The road has been under rehabilitation since last year in preparation for the 2026 Independence Day celebrations scheduled to be held in Maphisa, Matabeleland South.
Road users allege that the delayed rehabilitation has left the road heavily damaged, causing extensive wear and tear to vehicles and significantly increasing travel time.
A journey that previously took approximately 45 minutes now takes between two and three hours due to deep potholes, narrowed lanes and unsafe driving conditions.
According to motorists, the poor state of the road poses major safety risks and has led to frequent vehicle breakdowns, tyre damage and suspension failure.
“Travelling on this road has become a nightmare. A trip that once took less than an hour now takes two to three hours. The road is full of potholes and has become dangerously narrow, creating serious hazards for drivers,” said Zenzo Nkomo, a road users.
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The situation is reportedly worse during the rainy season when flooding renders parts of the road and bridges impassable.
Another motorist, Nkosentsha Mguni from Kezi Kafusi, said heavy rains had further exposed the extent of the damage to the road infrastructure.
“Some bridges along the main road to Maphisa have been eroded such that water now flows over them instead of underneath, making it extremely dangerous for buses and other heavy vehicles,” he said.
Another road user, Gilbert Dube, added that transport operators are incurring high costs as buses are frequently damaged and forced to wait for hours for flooded rivers to subside, leaving passengers stranded.
“These delays increase expenses for transport operators, costs that could have been avoided if the road had been rehabilitated,” he said.
Road users urged authorities to address the situation urgently, warning that continued neglect of the road can lead to serious accidents and disrupt travel ahead of the upcoming national celebrations.