Gateway offers drivers a comfort stop

KEVIN MAYHEW DRIVERS ON their way to Zimbabwe through Beit Bridge now have a new haven where they can wait for documentation and freshen up – the Gateway Truck Stop. Just seconds from the border, it offers a one stop service and the biggest truck stop at Beit Bridge. Already Gateway has attracted the clearing and forwarding industry to take office space on its premises, which provide parking for up to 150 vehicles, ablutions for drivers, fuel, mechanical maintenance facilities, a kiosk and a motor bonded warehouse. Says manager Heleen Naude: “This is the best truck stop for the drivers before entering the Zimbabwe route further north. Likewise it is the best truck stop when they return to South Africa, and we try to make it as pleasant a stay as possible.” Gateway was established two years ago and is the first major step towards providing a more formal stopover venue, with the other truck stops in the area not providing anything approaching its facilities. Already it maintains occupancies of 90% and future plans include bonded warehousing. The facility is also keen to join in the drive for awareness about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by establishing a wellness centre at the truck stop in the near future.