Over 150 trucks marooned at Kazungula border awaiting crossing

More than 150 trucks are marooned at Kazungula between the weigh bridge off the T-junction to the border post waiting to cross over into Botswana side.

A check by ZANIS this morning discovered that the situation has worsened compared to yesterday as the trucks have covered over three kilometres stretch causing more congestion.

When contacted for a comment this morning, Engineering Services Corporation (ESCO) Pontoon Supervisor at the Kazungula border post Michael Kamwi said only one pontoon from the Zambian side is currently working.

Mr. Kamwi who also was worried about the congestion, stressed that the situation is beyond his company’s control at the border.

He charged that the situation is more likely to worsen if the hydraulic pump equipment needed for the other pontoon does not arrive on time from Lusaka headquarters.

He said the named equipment is expected to arrive from United Kingdom but was not in the position to tell when.

Mr. Kamwi said one of his officers was sent to Lusaka to follow up the issue adding that even the Lusaka people are equally concerned with the happenings at the Kazungula border post.

Meanwhile, truck drivers have complained of challenges during their long stay at the Kazungula border post.

Pears Ndlovu an employee for Hermis Transport in the Democratic Republic of Congo said truck drivers have to walk long distances from where they are packed to go to shops and restaurants to buy food, water and air time for communication.

And Chanda Bwalya from the same company said there are a lot of snakes in the nearby bush where truck drivers go to answer the call of nature due to lack of toilets nearby.

He described the current scenario at the border post as total disaster and called for quick intervention from government so that the truck drivers can be assisted from what he termed as lack of seriousness from ESCO management.

Mr. Bwalya accused ESCO management of failing to put up their efforts together to ease congestion at the border saying efforts are not being applied by pontoon operators to sort out the problems.

He said truck drivers’ lives were at risk because of the kind of goods they transport adding that thieves have taken advantage of their long stay at the border.

Mr. Bwalya disclosed that there is no security because truck drivers are being robbed of diesel and other goods during their stay at the border.