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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

The Zimborders Consortium which is working in partnership with the Government to transform the Beitbridge Border Post yesterday said the project is on course and it will be concluded within the set time frame.

 

A total of US$300 million has been committed to the project that is set to be completed in April next year.

The massive infrastructure development initiative is being implemented on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement.

Under the arrangement, the consortium will manage and maintain the infrastructure for more than 17 years in order to recoup the costs and also realise profit from its investment.

Zimborders Consortium, chief executive officer, Mr Francois Diedrechsen said the project has been divided into three phases to ensure that civil works are carried out without disrupting the operations at the Port of Entry.

“We are still on course to meet our target,” he said.

“You will note that the first phase which includes the roads, freight terminal and upgrading of the ICT facilities is now complete.”

“At the moment we are busy putting final touches to the buses terminal which falls under Phase 2 and will open for traffic on June 1. Decanting will commence this week as we start preparing to open it.”

He said construction works on Phase 3, which is the light vehicles terminal, will start next month and will be completed at the end of November this year.

Mr Diedrechsen said they had made a lot of progress in terms of civil works which fall under the out-of-port works.

“These include an agriculture and animal quarantine facility, a new sewer oxidation dam, 220 houses for border workers, a fire station and an 11,4 megalitres water reservoir among others,” he said.

Mr Diedrechsen said the new oxidation dam has since been handed over to the Beitbridge municipality.

“We are almost ready to float the ceiling of the water reservoir and work on the new fire station as well as that on the plant and animal quarantine, are progressing well.

It is also pleasing to note that work is also progressing well on the housing project,” said Mr Diedrechsen.

He said they had set different targets for the out-of-port works but they expect to complete all the projects by April next year. 

It is envisaged that the completion of  the project will result in improved border efficiency systems at the proposed One-Stop-Border-Post (OSBP) between Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Upon completion, the border is expected to carry five fold its capacity of 600 000 travellers, 30 000 commercial trucks, 120 000 light vehicles and 15 000 buses monthly.

– @tupeyo