Reducing transit
times through the
Beitbridge border post
demands experienced,
well-connected agents, in the
view of Jephreys Vuriga of
Beitbridge-based Weighbridge
Freight and Logistics.
The company, acquired by
Vuriga and Brander Hobson
in July 2015, is fully licensed
with the Zimbabwe Revenue
Authority to offer clearing
services.
“We are based on the
Zimbabwean side offering
customs clearing services,
border monitoring, Commercial
Vehicle Guarantees (CVG),
Removal in Transit (RIT) and
transit permit sourcing.
“We also offer customs
consultancy and transport
broking. We are a fairly new
organisation but with a
highly experienced team that
has mastered our otherwise
difficult border crossing,” says
Vuriga.
The need to speed up the
implementation of a one-stop
border post at Beitbridge
has been identified by the
authorities on both sides of
the border.
In August 2015
Zimbabwean vice president
Phelekezela Mphoko was
quoted as saying after a visit
to the border post “we are
concerned with the situation
at Beitbridge where cargo
is taking two weeks to be
cleared and this results in
unnecessary costs on the part
of importers”.
“We are eagerly awaiting
the implementation of a onestop
shop at the border post
as it would greatly improve
efficiencies,” says Vuriga.
“The only container depot
servicing Beitbridge border
post is now too small for
conducting customs physical
examinations.
“There is also a proliferation
of bogus and unscrupulous
clearing agents,” he warns.
Further delays could result
in significant losses to the
Zimbabwean fiscus. According
to the Herald newspaper,
the Zimbabwean Revenue
Authority
collects an
average of
US$2 million
a day at
Beitbridge
– which is
70% of all
the country’s
customs
revenue.
“We are
anticipating
a decline in
transit cargo
as soon as
the Zambezi bridge between
Botswana and Zambia is
finished as they have proved
to be more efficient than our
border post,” he says.
It is estimated that around
600 in-bound trucks and
14 000 passengers pass
through Beitbridge a day.
Vuriga points to the success
of the
Chirundu onestop
border
post between
Zimbabwe
and Zambia,
which was
opened in
December
2009.
Beitbridge
is scheduled
to be the
second onestop
border
post in the
Southern African Development
Community (SADC).
A combination of delays
at Beitbridge and reduced
Zimbabwean exports has
increased the costs of
importing into the country due
to the absence of back loads,
according to Vuriga.
“However the SA-Lusaka-
DRC route seems to be
growing in leaps and bounds
and most transporters prefer
the route because of its highly
attractive back loads and the
efficiencies at the Chirundu
border post,” he says.
There is also a difference in
the mix of products moving
into Zimbabwe and other
SADC countries through
Beitbridge.
“Products moving into
Zimbabwe are mainly
domestic and mining
consumables, including fresh
produce
“Products passing in transit
to Zambia and DRC are
mostly mining consumables,
machinery, fuel and fertilisers."
INSERT & CAPTION
Further border
delays could result
in significant losses
to the Zimbabwean
fiscus.
– Jephreys Vuriga
One-stop border critical for Beitbridge's long-term survival
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