Tollgate’s construction sparks outrage in Byo

outrage among motorists and peri-urban farmers who believe it is a fund-raising venture to milk them.
In separate interviews yesterday, the motorists urged the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Development to reconsider its decision.
The tollgate is one of three new proposed such structures in the country.
The other two would be located after Ruwa along the Harare-Mutare Road and Madongonere along the Seke-Zvipadze Road.
Angry resettled farmers, who live just after the tollgate and commute to Bulawayo daily, said it should be moved to another location, at least 50km from the city.
“It will mean that I have to pay about US$10 a day if I decide to take my farm produce to Bulawayo using my truck. I will also have to fork out an extra US$2 daily if I use my small car to go to work.
“Do people who construct tollgates ever consult anyone before they erect them. This one defies logic and the only reason I can deduce from it is that someone is fixing us,” fumed Mr Gilbert Nhalo (36), a peri-urban farmer who benefited from the land reform programme.
Angry commuter omnibus operators who ply the routes to nearby Chief Sigola, Ntabazinduna and Mbembesi from Bulawayo said the tollgate was likely to put them out of business.
“Kombis pay US$2 at tollgates. We make about US$40 a day taking people to Ntabazinduna, charging R10 per person. The tollgate will take US$4 out of every round trip.
“If it becomes operational, we will either increase fares, cut routes and drop people before we reach the tollgate, or find some back roads that will help us avoid the tollgate,” said a driver who declined to be named.
Another driver, who plies the Bulawayo-Harare route, said the tollgate would add to the three already on the route, further eating into his profits.
“This will be the fourth tollgate on the Bulawayo-Harare highway. It may force us to increase our fares because we will be paying an additional US$4 every round trip. The money we leave at tollgates will be almost equal to the fare for one person, per trip,” fumed Mr Xolani Magama.
Commutter omnibuses pay US$2 at tollgates.
Revellers, who often drive from Bulawayo to spend weekends at fun spots that include Lochard and Chalet, just after Ntabazinduna, were not spared the effects of the tollgate.
“My friends and I have resolved to stop going there when this tollgate starts operating. We would rather spend the money we would have used at the tollgate on something else.
“I am yet to see improvements on the roads from tollgate fees. This is a scam to rip us off. This tollgate must not be allowed to stand,” observed Ms Nomalanga Dube of Gwabalanda suburb in Bulawayo.
A comment could not be obtained from the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Mr Partson Mbiriri, as his mobile phone was unreachable.
This is not the first tollgate to cause controversy, as the High Court had to order the relocation of another one that was situated at the 13 km peg along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road, late last year.
This was after Mr Tawanda Marufu, a plot-holder from Norwood, challenged its legality. The ministry was ordered to relocate the tollgate to a “convenient” point outside the area of the Bulawayo City Council’s jurisdiction.
The tollgate was then moved to the 17,5 km peg, which falls under the Umguza Rural District Council. Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nicholas Ndou ruled on the case on 3 December 2009.
“The declaration of the disputed tolling point is manifestly unjust and discriminatory to residents of Norwood who are ratepayers of the BCC. The declaration is partial and unequal in its operation as it is between classes of BCC ratepayers,” said Justice Ndou then.
Mr Marufu had argued that the tollgate was unfairly extorting money from him and other Norwood residents who had to pay to pass it on their way to work every morning, while other ratepayers to BCC were not affected by its presence.

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