Africa-Press – Botswana. The Kazungula weighbridge is expected to be fully operational by May 2026 as the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure moves to repair the facility following its closure in October 2025.
Responding to a question in Parliament on Tuesday, assistant minister, Mr Keoagile Atamelang said the ministry was currently in the process of procuring specialised maintenance services from the manufacturer to address the breakdown of the scale and its subsequent inability to be calibrated and verified.
He indicated that although the facility began experiencing technical failures as early as 2022, it remained in use until late last year.
He assured Parliament that despite the current downtime at the Kazungula site, the impact on regulation and revenue had been mitigated through a strategic redundancy network.
“Trucks that would normally be inspected at the border are being monitored at the Francistown and Serule weighbridges.
This system ensures that the 56 500 trucks that have passed through the Kazungula border since January 2025 are still subject to oversight, keeping revenue loss to a minimum,” he said.
Mr Atamelang emphasised that weighbridges were fundamental to the nation’s infrastructure and were used to regulate vehicle loading and ensure compliance with standard axle and gross mass limits.
He noted that while the weighing process itself was a free service provided to all transporters, those found to be in violation of weight limits were charged for overloading in accordance with the Road Traffic Regulations. “The process remains a priority for the ministry because of the severe risks associated with non-compliance. Overloaded vehicles cause significant and costly damage to road surfaces, compromise vehicle performance and increase the risk of road accidents.
Maintaining these facilities is therefore essential for protecting public infrastructure and ensuring a fair and safe transport system for all users,” he said.
Member of Parliament for Chobe, Mr Simasiku Mapulanga, had asked the minister to state why the Kazungula weighbridge was not being used, when it was last used and when it was expected to be fully operational.
Mr Mapulanga also wanted to know the number of trucks which had been recorded to have used the Kazungula border from January 2025 to date and the charge per truck weighed as well as the amount lost in terms of revenue collection.
