Government has released a new tranche of funding to complete outstanding sections of the Harare-Beitbridge Highway, with contractors now working round the clock.
Rehabilitation work on the 585 km highway is almost complete, except for a few outstanding sections being rehabilitated on three stretches, including after the Chibi tollgate, then towards Ngundu Growth Point up to Rutenga in Mwenezi.
As work resumes at full scale, anticipation is growing among road users and businesses who see the highway's full completion as a long-overdue step towards efficiency, safety, and national progress.
The long-awaited development promises to improve trafficability and boost economic connectivity along one of the country's busiest trade corridors, easing congestion, reducing transit times, and enhancing road safety for both commercial and private vehicles.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona confirmed that contractors were back on site, although noting that more details will be divulged during a tour of the road this coming week.
However, posting on X (formerly Twitter), the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development shared updates on ongoing works along the highway. "The stabilisation of the sub-base is underway on the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Road in Mwenezi District. Your roads! Our priority," read the post. Both public and private transporters have welcomed the move, describing it as a major boost for business.
A cross-border transporter, Mr Simbarashe Ncube, said this was a game-changer, as some of the remaining stretches were a deathtrap, tainting the signature project.
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"We were losing so much time trying to negotiate the Ngundu area. It was a nightmare due to delays and detours on the unfinished sections. We are glad that it is now being completed. This will mean faster turnarounds, lower fuel costs, and fewer accidents," he said.
Another transporter, Ms Linda Mupfiga, said the bottlenecks after Masvingo were a nightmare, especially during peak traffic periods.
"Especially this Easter and Independence Holiday, when a lot of people travel the road, the remaining sections were a menace. Imagine a distance that one could travel in 15 minutes taking as long as 1 hour 30 minutes," she said.
Mr Tinashe Chikwemba also said that with the Trabablas Interchange coming in, they are expecting a smoother flow of both human and vehicular traffic. "At first, we thought the interchange was just talk, but I am glad that there is notable progress.
"I have no doubt that within the next few months, it will be opened to traffic," he said.
The Harare-Beitbridge Highway is a vital artery linking Zimbabwe to South Africa and beyond.
