News / Regional
Beitbridge police roadblock must be removed permanently
23 Apr 2014 at 14:06hrs | Views
Beitbridge residents, travellers and stakeholders in the hospitality and tourism industries want police to permanently remove a roadblock they mounted a few metres from the border post, saying it defeated the government's desire for a smooth passage of tourists and travellers.
Zimbabwe's tourism industry is recovering from a deep slumber mainly blamed on economic sanctions imposed on the country for many years, soon after its land reform programme which resulted in western countries issuing travel bans and warnings to their citizens.
This resulted in most potential tourists side-stepping the country despite it being an attractive destination given its rich natural history, wildlife, breath-taking physical features like the Eastern Highlands, Matopos in Matabeleland and the Great Zimbabwe monument in Masvingo, to name, but a few.
The Zimbabwe tourism industry, which according to recent reports was fast growing, contributes 8,2% to the gross domestic product and its downstream industries and employs thousands of people with a potential to grow if well nurtured. The number of arrivals had gone up by 16% and players in the industry said signs were positive.
But residents of this border town believe the positioning of the roadblock was at variance with that vision, and Beitbridge being the window of the country from South Africa, did not need a roadblock right at the border.
"Travellers go through rigorous checks at the border from the customs and immigration officials, apart from numerous other plain clothes policemen inside the border post, we are saying that roadblock is not necessary," said Amos Mudau who works at a local hotel.
Beitbridge businesswoman and former councillor Patricia Mbedzi was more candid: "The roadblock gives an impression of a police state which we are not."
She added: "A country like ours needs tourists, we need every cent so it's imperative that we must work towards a common goal to create a good picture to attract tourists and investment."
As a town, Beitbridge was more affected by the police presence because after a hectic time inside the border post, the driving public meets their first roadblock just 70 metres inside.
"Anyone who doubts that Zimbabwean police work hard is wrong, but such good work should not be tainted by a poor choice of where to mount a police roadblock," she said.
A tourist interviewed by The Zimbabwe Mail David Brown a few metres after the roadblock said the police checkpoint duplicated the work of border officials.
"They asked me for my declaration, driver's licence, insurance, fire extinguisher, yellow reflective vest - they asked for a mountain of things," said Brown who was coming from Port Elizabeth on his way to Gonarezhou National Park.
From the manner police asked him, Brown said he felt they were just "fishing" to find a fault which was not healthy for a country wishing to regain its status as the top inland destination in southern and central Africa.
Zimbabwe's tourism industry is recovering from a deep slumber mainly blamed on economic sanctions imposed on the country for many years, soon after its land reform programme which resulted in western countries issuing travel bans and warnings to their citizens.
This resulted in most potential tourists side-stepping the country despite it being an attractive destination given its rich natural history, wildlife, breath-taking physical features like the Eastern Highlands, Matopos in Matabeleland and the Great Zimbabwe monument in Masvingo, to name, but a few.
The Zimbabwe tourism industry, which according to recent reports was fast growing, contributes 8,2% to the gross domestic product and its downstream industries and employs thousands of people with a potential to grow if well nurtured. The number of arrivals had gone up by 16% and players in the industry said signs were positive.
But residents of this border town believe the positioning of the roadblock was at variance with that vision, and Beitbridge being the window of the country from South Africa, did not need a roadblock right at the border.
"Travellers go through rigorous checks at the border from the customs and immigration officials, apart from numerous other plain clothes policemen inside the border post, we are saying that roadblock is not necessary," said Amos Mudau who works at a local hotel.
Beitbridge businesswoman and former councillor Patricia Mbedzi was more candid: "The roadblock gives an impression of a police state which we are not."
She added: "A country like ours needs tourists, we need every cent so it's imperative that we must work towards a common goal to create a good picture to attract tourists and investment."
As a town, Beitbridge was more affected by the police presence because after a hectic time inside the border post, the driving public meets their first roadblock just 70 metres inside.
"Anyone who doubts that Zimbabwean police work hard is wrong, but such good work should not be tainted by a poor choice of where to mount a police roadblock," she said.
A tourist interviewed by The Zimbabwe Mail David Brown a few metres after the roadblock said the police checkpoint duplicated the work of border officials.
"They asked me for my declaration, driver's licence, insurance, fire extinguisher, yellow reflective vest - they asked for a mountain of things," said Brown who was coming from Port Elizabeth on his way to Gonarezhou National Park.
From the manner police asked him, Brown said he felt they were just "fishing" to find a fault which was not healthy for a country wishing to regain its status as the top inland destination in southern and central Africa.
Source - Zim Mail
