Zimbabweans have welcomed the opening for 24 hours of Zimbabwe's border with Mozambique at Forbes Border/Machipanda, starting today saying the move will create smooth flowing of business and address long queues.
Zimbabwe and Mozambique have agreed to open Forbes/Machipanda border posts 24/7.
Chair of the Transport Operators Association of Zimbabwe (TOAZ) and also chairman Transport Operating Industry (NECTOI) Mr Albert Bere said the move is a positive development urging stakeholders to utilise the opportunity in their businesses.
"We have been talking to Zimra and Alfandega and making these recommendations for a long time now and we would like to thank both the Governments of Zimbabwe and Mozambique for this development. We welcome this with both arms and hope it will help remove the bottleneck that Forbes/Machipanda border post had become on the corridor. We would like to urge all stakeholders, particularly transporters, clearing agencies and importers to make the most of this," he said.
Zimbabwe Cross Border Traders Association secretary-general Mr Augustine Tawanda said the move is a welcome development which will ensure positive development and ease of improving businesses.
He said the move will also go a long way in facilitating trade and decongesting points of entry.
"This is a welcome development. We are quite excited. Increasing hours will make businesses run efficiently. Long queues were affecting business operations. We are glad that this move will ensure that trade between these two countries will scale up," he said.
The owner of Phils and Pats Tankers Mr Watson Mukumba said the trucks will be moving and offloading on time adding that the Government's initiative is an effort which is expected to boost trade between the two countries.
"We are excited with the move. Trucks will be on time when carrying out business activities. The initiative is a great sign that will enhance trade between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Business activities need to be carried out efficiently while time conscious on the other hand. We are happy and we expect this to continue operating," he said.
Analyst Dr Hamadziripi Dube said the opening of the border for 24 hours will make businesses flow smoothly adding that it is the Second Republic's mantra of easy doing of businesses.
He also added that the move will ensure the availability of goods and services within the two countries.
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"Trucks are used to carry out important business activities. This is a way of improving business mantra in Zimbabwe. This will also ensure that there will be communication the whole day, but we appeal to the authorities that all borders should open for 24 hours so as to ensure that trade businesses continue operating well," he said.
A Cross border who resides in Warren Park 1, Mrs Esnath Mandebvu said the 24-hour service will help the country grow its gross domestic product as a result of increased revenue due to heightened economic activities such as taxes, levies and fees charged to those using the point of entry.
"It will help unlock the country's potential as more revenue will now accrue owing to various fees that will be levied directly and indirectly. Zimra will collect more revenue due to increased activities as service providers will respond by extending their operating times," she said.
Forbes Border Post, which was initially established as a tourist clearing point before independence, has now evolved to become one of the busiest ports of entry in the country.
The border post serves almost half of the SADC region, and is clearing about 550 haulage trucks every day.
