Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, sukulwenkosi.dube@chronicle.co.zw

ZIMBABWE and South Africa are edging closer to operationalising the long-awaited one-stop border post (OSBP) project at Beitbridge, a key milestone set to boost regional integration and trade between the two neighbouring countries.

One-stop centres and OSBP are crucial components in supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), helping to streamline cross-border trade by consolidating services at a single location.

This development emerged yesterday during a tour of the Beitbridge Border Post by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Professor Dr Amon Murwira, and his South African counterpart, Minister of International Relations, Mr Ronald Lamola. The two ministers later held a closed-door bilateral meeting.

The discussions centred on strengthening co-operation in trade, investment and cross-border infrastructure. Both ministers highlighted that efficient border management is central to unlocking economic opportunities under the AfCFTA.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Prof Murwira said Zimbabwe and South Africa, which already enjoy strong historical and cultural ties, must now translate that relationship into tangible benefits for their citizens.

“We held fruitful deliberations during which we reaffirmed the excellent relations between Zimbabwe and the Republic of South Africa. Our main theme for today has been regional integration.

“To integrate, we need infrastructure and the Beitbridge Border Post is one such critical facility,” he said.
Prof Murwira reaffirmed that South Africa remains Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner and stressed the importance of removing barriers to trade to spur growth.

“We are reaffirming the excellent relations that exist between Zimbabwe and South Africa and we want these excellent relations to be reflected in the day-to-day lives of our people and mainly through economic activity and social well-being,” he said.

Minister Lamola congratulated Zimbabwe on the modernisation of the Beitbridge Border Post, describing it as a model project for the SADC region.

“Our engagement today was informed by a flagship SADC project — the one-stop border post. This will not only boost intra-SADC trade but also deepen political, cultural and social ties,” he said.

Minister Lamola confirmed South Africa’s commitment to fast-tracking its own border modernisation to align with Zimbabwe’s pace and ensure full interoperability.

The meeting also came as South Africa reaffirmed its support for Zimbabwe’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2027–2028.

The Beitbridge Border Post — the busiest land port in Southern Africa — has undergone a US$300 million modernisation project through the Zimborders Consortium under a public-private partnership. Zimborders Consortium built, operates and will eventually transfer the modernised facility back to the Government after 17 years, recouping its investment through border user fees.

The facility now boasts dedicated terminals for buses, trucks and pedestrians, state-of-the-art ICT systems, and streamlined traffic management.

Authorities report that 60 percent of commercial cargo is now cleared in less than three hours. With nearly 7 million travellers and thousands of vehicles using the border annually, the upgrade has dramatically improved efficiency and positioned Beitbridge as a regional trade hub.

An estimated seven million travellers use the border annually, while nearly 1,200 commercial trucks, 200 buses, and 2,100 light vehicles pass through the port daily.

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Ivan Zhakata

Herald Correspondent

THE process of amending or repealing statutory levies and fees in various sectors of the economy has started, as Government moves to ensure that the reduction of the charges is translated into binding legal instruments, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.

In a statement yesterday, Minister Ziyambi said until Parliament formally amended or repealed them, old statutory fees, levies and charges remained enforceable.

This week, the Government announced a raft of reductions and removals of some fees that were seen as too high, in an effort to improve the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe.

Sectors that have already been identified include agriculture, transport, retail licencing and local authority services.

Said Minister Ziyambi: “All fees, levies and charges prescribed in existing laws in the form of primary and subsidiary legislation shall continue in force and effect until such a time when the statutory provisions providing for the same have been amended or repealed in accordance with set procedures.

“The ministry, together with the Office of the Attorney-General, is working with all relevant ministries to ensure that the policy position adopted by Government to reduce the various fees, levies and charges is translated into legally binding legal instruments.”

Parking fees, clamping and towing penalty charges, have been cut by 50 percent in all local authorities, while the cost of vehicle number plates has been reduced from US$500 to US$50.

Car number plates are now produced in Zimbabwe and the new fee remains profitable.

In the agriculture sector, sweeping changes have also been made, especially in the dairy sub-sector where farmers needed 25 permits across 12 agencies; feed manufacturers (23 from 10 departments), beef cattle farmers (18), abattoirs (20) and dairy processors (21 licences).

The requirements were not only time-consuming, but came with heavy financial and administrative burdens on businesses.

Government has since seen it fit to remove duplication, reduce costs and simplify compliance to promote efficiency, competitiveness and formalisation.

Some of the highlights include farm and processor registration fees, such as the Agriculture Marketing Authority (AMA) farm registration fees, which were cut to a US$1 flat fee.

In the past, communal farmers paid US$1, small-scale irrigation farmers on US$2 while A1, A2 and large-scale farmers paid US$3, US$4 and US$5 respectively per year.

Minister Ziyambi said the reforms are part of broader efforts to strengthen the business environment and attract investment.

“We have a positive obligation, as enunciated in section 114 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, to ensure that statutes are drafted to eliminate any gaps in the law,” he said.

“It is in public interest that we must draft and enact laws that enhance the investment climate and facilitate the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe.”

The Second Republic, led by President Mnangagwa, believes that once the high fees and levies have been moderated, more new investors will commit their funds into the economy while existing investors might consider expanding their businesses for the benefit of citizens through employment creation.

Zimbabwe has a target of attaining Vision 2030, a long-term development blueprint aimed at transforming the country into an upper-middle-income economy.

The proposed reductions in fees and levies are also intended to support the progressive realisation of socio-economic rights enshrined in the Constitution and international agreements Zimbabwe is party to.

Business leaders have welcomed the policy intent but emphasised the need for legal certainty.

Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president Mr Denford Mutashu, said reducing levies and charges could help ease operational costs and improve competitiveness once the reforms are formally enacted.

Similarly, the Zimbabwe Taxpayers Platform called for clear timelines on when the changes would take effect to reduce uncertainty for investors and businesses.

The Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs says it continues to work with the Attorney-General and line ministries to draft the legal instruments needed to give effect to the policy, signalling a measured approach to reducing costs without bypassing established procedures.

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Trust Freddy

THE Government’s new 0,5 percent levy on fast-food items has generated nearly US$1 million in revenue in the first half of the year, a senior official has said.

This levy, commonly referred to as sin tax, seeks to promote healthier eating and combating a rise in obesity and non-communicable diseases.

It applies to popular fast-food items such as pizza, burgers, French fries and doughnuts.

During a Question and Answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Deputy Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa confirmed the total collections.

“I wish to advise that total collections from the fast-foods tax amounted to US$954 912. While collections commenced in January 2025, accounting for the tax was effective from March 2025 due to the pending Tax and Revenue Management System and confederation process by ZIMRA,” he said.

Economists believe the introduction of the fast-food tax will widen Treasury’s revenue inflows and facilitate funding for development projects.

The tax, implemented at the beginning of the year, is levied on a per-unit basis for various fast-food items. It seeks to generate revenue for the Government while discouraging the consumption of unhealthy foods.

While the tax has generated intense debate, economists see it as an opportunity to bolster domestic resource mobilisation and address critical national needs.

This follows the success of the sugar content tax implemented last year, which has generated over US$30 million in revenue in the first half of this year.

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Debra Matabvu

Herald Reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday capped 640 Harare Institute of Technology graduates, with the university saying it will continue providing knowledge and skills that offer solutions to the country’s socio-economic needs.

A total of 518 students obtained their first degrees while 122 others were taking postgraduate studies. Of those who graduated yesterday, 106 were from programmes introduced to advance Zimbabwe’s modernisation and industrialisation.

The 13 inaugural programmes included Master of Technology degrees in Telecommunications and Wireless Networks, Electronic Commerce, Data Science and Analytics, Medical Ultrasound, Industrial Biotechnology and Food Processing.

President Mnangagwa also toured three major projects at the institution: The lithium battery production plant, the Future Mobility (Urban Mass Transportation System) Tram, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police Case Management System.

In his keynote address, HIT Vice Chancellor Professor Quinton Kanhukamwe said their projects contribute to the country’s industrialisation and modernisation agenda. “These innovations are not abstract theories, they are solutions that will respond to the needs of Zimbabwean communities, industries and families,” he said.

“Your Excellency and Chancellor, this year your university continued with its annual tradition of holding its Technovation Expo under the theme, Designing the Future, celebrating 20 years of commercialisation of research, development and innovation outputs for Zimbabwe’s modernisation and industrialisation.

“The Expo demonstrated your university’s dedication to technological innovation, development and commercialisation and had numerous displays showing cutting-edge research, development and innovation outputs that demonstrate the prowess of how Education 5.0 has been assimilated across our curriculum.”

Prof Kanhukamwe also said the university had incorporated Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics into its curriculum to close the AI gap in communities across the country. He added that HIT is re-aligning its strategic plan with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS).

“The artificial intelligence revolution, unlike the other revolutions before it, is ubiquitous as it permeates every facet of human society,” he said.

“Its impact is not selective on whether you are a prophet, medical doctor, engineer or professor. The artificial intelligence industry is set to contribute US$19,9 trillion as cumulative global economic impact by 2030.

“Your Excellency and Chancellor, joining the artificial intelligence race at this point is no longer optional but compulsory, as research has indicated that artificial intelligence is now widening economic inequalities among nations.”

Prof Kanhukamwe added that Zimbabwe has to come to grips with the tectonic forces of artificial intelligence, containing its risks and harnessing its power for good.

“As I put this matter to rest, Your Excellency and Chancellor, we are aware of the imminent launch of the National Development Strategy 2 by the close of the year, and we would like to assure you that we are ready and committed to drive the attainment of Vision 2030 ahead of time. We will be realigning our new strategic plan to the NDS2, putting down what we envisage the future to look like,” he said.

Prof Kanhukamwe also outlined the different projects being implemented as part of efforts to contribute to Zimbabwe’s innovation and technology agenda.

He said this year, the university filed with the Intellectual Property offices five utility models, 10 industrial designs, seven trademarks and 648 software copyrights.

HIT also received certificates of excellence from peer-reviewed international journals, publishers and commendations for its unique proficiency and competency-driven curriculum.

Prof Kanhukamwe further highlighted that the university had created an oxygen-aluminium battery and telepresence robots to support healthcare delivery in underserved areas.

“The oxygen-aluminium battery created by the Advanced Materials Team provides a non-toxic, recyclable and affordable option to other available alternative batteries,” he said.

“This breakthrough positions us as a potential contributor to the global shift towards green energy. Our scientists have also developed artificial intelligence models to detect keratitis from corneal images, offering hope for early detection as well as prevention of blindness.

“Others have created telepresence robots to support healthcare delivery in underserved areas. In agriculture, Your Excellency and Chancellor, our teams are utilising artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to enhance crop productivity and combat food fraud, including the adulteration of soils. Our allied health sciences researchers are also exploring genomic biomarkers for hypertension and diabetes, which will lead to locally tailored treatments.”

With regard to the lithium battery project, Prof Kanhukamwe said HIT planned to scale up production to 90 units a day, resulting in an annual capacity of 18 000 units by 2026 for the Zimbabwean and regional markets.

Among the graduates, six were awarded the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Chancellor’s Award of US$500 cash prize for best students in each faculty.

Turning to the Urban Mass Transportation System, he said the university is producing 80 to 120-seater tram carriages with the goal of reaching a scaled annual output of 100 units by next year.

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Trust Freddy

Herald Correspondent

THE country’s healthcare sector is set for a major uplift following a €4.3 million funding commitment from the European Union to establish a new National Public Health Institute.

The pledge was announced yesterday when a joint delegation from the World Health Organisation and the EU paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora at his offices in Harare.

The delegation, led by Dr Desta Tiruneh, WHO’s representative for Zimbabwe and Ms Anna Cichocka, the EU’s Head of Cooperation, held a closed-door meeting with Minister Mombeshora to discuss the details of the new initiative.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Minister Mombeshora stated that the Government is ready to work with the EU.

“We have just had a very important meeting, which was a courtesy call but brought good news to us as a country and also as Minister of Health and Child Care.

“Issues at stake concerned the establishment of a National Public Health Institute and we’ve got WHO here and members from the European Union. The good news is that members of the European Union have provided funds to help us establish the National Public Health Institute to the tune of about €4.3 million.”

The new institute is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening the country’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats. He also revealed that Dr Raiva Simbi, director of Laboratory Services in his Ministry, had been appointed as the co-ordinator of the project.

“We will be working with this team to ensure that we operationalise the National Public Health Institute. It’s a very important institute that will help us shape our policy.”

EU’s Head of Cooperation, Ms Cichocka, noted the positive steps undertaken by the Ministry of Health.

“We are very happy to start this collaboration. We see already concrete actions being taken by the Ministry of Health and the hard work put in by our partners at WHO.”

Dr Tiruneh stated that the NPHI is a “very important addition” that will strengthen the country’s preparedness for health emergencies and major health challenges.

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