01 Jun 2021

The Kazungula Bridge, which was commissioned two weeks ago, has already raised close to P1 million in toll fees on the Botswana side.

This was revealed in an interview with the acting customs manager for Chobe Sub-region, Mr Kebaabetswe Montsho recently.

He said from May 11, when the bridge was opened for use up to May 25, over P998 000 was collected in toll fees from 920 trucks and 176 passenger vehicles that entered Botswana. 

He noted that people were not allowed to cross the bridge on foot, and were required to use taxis from both sides of the border.

Mr Montsho also noted that taxis were charged P150 or equivalent amount in other currencies. He added that taxis were only allowed to transport passengers to the entrance of either of the One Stop Border Post (OSBP).

He also said toll fees did not stop the charges that were in place prior to the commissioning of the bridge such as COVID-19 testing fees and other levies such as carbon tax in the case of Zambia.

He said as an alternative to taxis, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and Zambia’s Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure was in the process of procuring two shuttles that would operate between the two OSBPs. 

He explained that unlike the taxi route, the shuttles would be allowed access into the OSBPs. 

On plans in place for tourists who visit the facility for adventure, Mr Montsho said plans were underway to identify and register tour guides who would be taking visitors on guided tours. 

He said currently visitors were not allowed at the bridge because walking was prohibited. 

He noted that the commissioning of the bridge had reduced the transit time between Zambia and Botswana from three to seven days to four hours or less.

Mr Montsho also said the bridge was a welcome development because truck drivers no longer had to worry about the weight of their loads and accidents caused by overloaded boats.

The bridge and the two OSBPs were commissioned on May 10 by the chairperson of the African Union (AU) and President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mr Felix Tshisekedi and it became operational on May 11.

The three phase project commenced in 2014 and consisted of the P1.9 billion bridge, the P440 million Botswana OSBP and the P182 million Zambia OSBP. 

It was a joint project between Botswana and Zambia aimed at decongesting the Kazungula Border Post by reducing the transit time for freight and passengers, improving border management operations arising from the new OSBP facilities, and increasing traffic throughput along the North-South corridor. ends