Zinara refutes additional tollgate claims

Oscar J Jeke

Zinara has dismissed reports of the establishment of new toll gates along the country’s premium roads.

This comes amid claims on various social media platforms claiming the creation of additional tollgates along the premium roads following the promulgation of Statutory Instrument 5 of 2024.

In a statement, Zinara clarified that introduction of Statutory Instrument 5 of 2024 provides for premium roads on selected highways but it does not cancel provisions of SI 39 of 2009, which designated points along the national highways where tollgates may be created.

“Meanwhile, the schedule of tollgates outlined in terms of SI 5 of 2024 identifies the rolling points along the premium roads but does not create or establish any new toll gates outside those specified in SI 39 of 2009,” Zinara said in a statement.

Premium roads operational tollgates include Figtree, Ntabazinduna, Garry North and South, Kadoma, Norton, Goromonzi, Rusape and Mutare along the Plumtree-Mutare premium route, and Skyline, Mushagashe, Chivhu and Lutumba along the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge premium route.

“Accordingly, no additional tollgates have been added to the current complement of tollgates on these and other routes,” Zinara added.

The SI 5 of 2024 also includes a provision to bar vehicles without or with expired licence to ensure compliance and enforcement of collection of all licence fees.

“For the purposes of enforcing collection of all required fees, an authorised person shall be permitted to deny passage through a tolling point to any vehicle that has an expired or does not have valid vehicle licence in terms of the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act,” the statement read.