In the community

Zinara closes some tollgates for upgrade, relocates some

Published

3 years ago

January 3, 2023

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) has announced the closure of two tollgates to pave way for scheduled rehabilitation.

In a notice seen by Pindula News, ZINARA said the two tollgates, one situated 9km west of Triangle on the Ngundu-Tanganda Road and the other 17.5km from Chivhu on the Chivhu-Nyazura Road stopped operating on Saturday, 31 December 2022.

“The Zimbabwe National Road Administration would like to advise the motoring public that the Triangle and Magamba tollgates have been suspended with effect from 31st December 2022 in terms of Statutory Instrument 219 of 2022,”ZINARA said in a statement.

“The suspension of operations at these tollgates is part of our continuous operational review. Zinara takes this opportunity to thank the motoring public for their continued cooperation.”

ZINARA said five other tollgates on the outskirts of cities and towns are set to be moved further out as the expanding urban areas lap around them.

This will make them once again highway tollgates and ease the financial burden on motorists living in peri-urban areas who were paying road tolls twice daily on their way to and from work.

Tollgates set to be relocated are:

i). Skyline,

ii). Dema,

iii). Lion’s Den,

iv). Umguza and,

v). Shamva tollgate which is set to be moved to the 40km peg along the Harare-Nyamapanda Highway.

Other tollgates are to be upgraded to standard levels are

a). Norton,

b). Esigodini,

c). Mushagashi,

d). Mupfurudzi and,

e). Colleen Bawn.

Towards the end of December, the government started constructing toll plazas along the country’s major highways, according to senior officials.

There are 33 toll gates countrywide and at least two-thirds of the toll gates will be upgraded to toll plazas, officials said.

Matabeleland North Province only has two tollgates along Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway between Hwange and Umguza districts.

In May last year, ZINARA said it was making headway on plans to establish an e-tolling system to reduce operating costs from toll fee collection.

The system will allow motorists to pay upfront and then just drive, without stopping at tollgates while the fees are automatically deducted as they drive through. This is now common in many countries.

Toll fee collections totalled $1.2 billion in 2020, 556 per cent higher than the $183 million realised in 2019- Pindula/VicFallsLive

In the community

MP press govt on Binga hospital, mortuary crisis

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Members of the Parliament of Zimbabwe have raised concern over the state of health services in Binga District, questioning delays in upgrading key facilities.

Binga South MP, Fanuel Cumanzala asked the Minister of Health and Child Care:

“Whether there are any plans to rehabilitate Binga District Hospital to make it suitable for a nursing school, as earlier announced by the government.”

He further queried:

“Whether there are any concrete plans to permanently resolve the challenges faced by Binga District, particularly regarding the mortuary, which has not been fully operational for a long time.”

In a follow-up question, the legislator pressed government on broader service delivery gaps:

“What measures are being taken to improve healthcare services in Binga District, particularly in rural areas.”

“What measures are being implemented to reduce incidence of malaria and waterborne diseases in the Zambezi Valley.”

“Whether there are any plans to upgrade and expand healthcare facilities in Binga District in light of population growth and increased economic activity.”

No response was recorded in the proceedings

In the community

Hwange residents invited to constitutional amendment public hearing

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Residents in Hwange are set to have their say on proposed changes to the country’s supreme law as the Parliament of Zimbabwe rolls out public hearings on the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No. 3 Bill.

The outreach programme will reach the coal-mining town on Tuesday, 31 March, with the hearing scheduled for 10am at Edmund Davies Hall, located at the No.1 Colliery Club near Thomas Coulter Primary School.

Attendance is free, and members of the public are being encouraged to participate and express their views on the proposed amendment.

According to Parliament, the hearings are part of a nationwide consultation process aimed at gathering citizens’ input before the bill is finalised. The proposed legislation—Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No. 3 Bill (H.B. 1, 2026)—seeks to introduce changes to key governance provisions.

The Matabeleland North outreach will begin in Tsholotsho on Monday, 30 March, before moving to Hwange, then to Binga on Wednesday, 1 April, and concluding in Lupane on Thursday, 2 April.

Parliament has also opened channels for written submissions, which can be sent to the Clerk of Parliament or via email.

However, authorities have warned that individuals wearing military uniforms, political party regalia, or carrying flags and badges will not be allowed into the hearings.

Residents in and around Hwange are urged to attend in numbers and make their voices heard.

In the community

Free dental outreach treats over 700 in Victoria Falls

Published

4 days ago

March 17, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

More than 700 residents in Victoria Falls have received free dental care following a three-day outreach programme held at Mkhosana Clinic.

The initiative, led by global charity SmileStar in partnership with CIMAS, saw 705 patients treated between 9 and 11 March. The programme builds on previous outreach efforts in the region and is expanding this year to include Matobo.

A team of 16 volunteer dental professionals—many from Dentex—provided urgent treatment, pain relief, and oral health education, while also sharing skills with local healthcare workers.

Team leader Dr Mitesh Badiani said tooth decay linked to high sugar consumption, particularly among children, was the most common issue encountered.

“Many of these dental problems are preventable, and education plays a key role in helping to avoid such problems in the future,” he said.

The outreach received support from Africa Albida Tourism, with the team hosted at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.

Africa Albida Tourism managing director Nigel Frost said the initiative would have lasting benefits for the community.

“This initiative provides vital dental care and education that will continue to benefit the residents of Victoria Falls long after the clinics have ended,” he said.

Mark Cockburn added that the programme highlighted the impact of volunteerism in addressing healthcare gaps.

Following the Victoria Falls outreach, SmileStar continued its programme in Hwange, before moving to Matobo today and tomorrow at Ethandweni Children’s Home, with a target of treating more than 1 000 patients across the three regions.