Zinara, villagers on collision course over trenches

The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) has drawn the ire of villagers near the Lutumba tollgate after the road authority began trenching traditional roads and paths to prevent motorists from bypassing the tollgate to evade fees.

The trenching, which began on Monday morning, has been met with anger and concern from local residents, who argue that it poses significant risks to both humans and animals, including domestic and wildlife. Villagers also argue that the intervention creates an unnecessary environmental hazard.

Villagers living near the Lutumba tollgate are now calling on Zinara to relocate the tollgate 40km away from Beitbridge along the highway, a move they believe would help mitigate the ongoing disruptions caused by motorists trying to avoid paying the toll fees.

Villagers reported waking up to heavy machinery trenching through their surroundings, creating large openings across several roads, including those traditionally used by the community for everyday travel. The heavy machinery, they say, should have been better utilized on other pressing road issues, such as the ongoing detour problems between Chivi Turn-off and Masvingo. Motorists on this route are currently forced to add 100km to their journeys by travelling via Mhandamabwe to connect to the Zvishavane-Masvingo Road, instead of the usual 40km route.

Another major issue, locals argue, is the ongoing theft of goods from trucks near Rutenga, an area where a Zanu-PF-linked contractor failed to complete work, leaving buses and trucks vulnerable to criminals. Villagers feel these issues should have been prioritized over trenching roads around the tollgate.

Beitbridge Rural District Council chairperson, Oscar Chiromo, expressed his frustration with the lack of consultation from Zinara. He pointed out that within minutes of the trenching, motorists had created new bypass roads through nearby villages, causing further disruptions to the community.

"I am surprised how this organisation failed on the basics, which is coming to the ground and having meetings with us at village level in our well-organized village development committee meetings," Chiromo said. "We would organize for them to meet the villagers and explain to them, and together find common ground to see how these leakages can be stopped."

Some villagers voiced strong discontent with the approach taken by Zinara. "Looking at natural justice, this is a slap in the face of our intelligence," said Besta, a local taxi driver. "They are now expecting us to drive our donkeys along the highway, posing risks to ourselves and motorists."

Besta, along with other villagers, argued that the decision to destroy traditional roads that have served generations posed unnecessary risks, especially during the rainy season. "Something must be done. The tollgate must be moved 40km as is standard in other areas," he added, urging Zinara to work more collaboratively with the local community to resolve the issue.

Zinara, in response, stated that the trenching was part of efforts to close illegal bypass roads used by motorists to evade toll fees. "Zinara confirms the closure of illegal bypass roads around the Lutumba tollgate which were being used by some motorists to evade toll fees," the authority said in a statement.

The road authority emphasized that the measure was taken in the interest of public safety, as traffic bypassing tollgates had been posing significant risks, particularly to children and livestock. Zinara also noted that the exercise was carried out following extensive consultations with community representatives and leadership. However, locals remain dissatisfied with how the issue has been handled and continue to demand a reevaluation of the decision.

As tensions between Zinara and the Beitbridge community escalate, the road authority’s next steps will be closely watched as both sides seek a resolution to the ongoing road access and tollgate concerns.