Where has all the toll money gone?

Huge potholes are a common feature and motorists have to be constantly on their toes to avoid potholes and accidents. Most roads bear scars of skidding – as drivers fail to negotiate a pothole. In the overgrown grass that lines the verges of most roads, stripped remnants of overturned cars lie in silent death – a vivid reminder of how bad the roads are.

The edges of the roads are scary too, nibbled and denuded by the effects of weather and neglect.

In typical Zimbabwean style, the Ministry of Transport and Communication denies responsibility and is heaping the blame for the poor state of the roads on the recent heavy rains.

The incessant rains have made it difficult to maintain our national roads and slowed down construction work. The end result is that potholes have formed on portions of our trunk road network and grass has quickly grown on the sides of the roads, said Patson Mbiriri, the permanent secretary.

Drivers dismissed the excuses. They have been collecting tolls since 2009 and they have done nothing about maintaining the roads. They are just after collecting and not maintaining, said a truck driver.

Zimbabwe National Road Authority (ZINARA), which is responsible for the countrys roads, is getting US$1.3 million from toll gates that were erected on all trunk roads shortly after the inception of the inclusive government in 2009.

Save for a few cosmetic changes, most roads have simply continued to deteriorate further.

Politicians are only spurred into making statements when an accident occurs, promising to improve the roads. But words have not been followed by action.

For over five years now the government has been talking about the dualising the Harare-Beitbridge road – but still it is only a dream.