ZIRTA Ask President To Intervene As The Industry Faces Collapse

By Desire Tshuma

Harare – The Zimbabwe Indigenous Road Transporters Association yesterday called on President Mnangagwa to save the transport industry as they are being elbowed out from critical transportation of certain products in favour of foreign transporters.

Several engagements with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development have been fruitless forcing the organisatioñ to go to the highest office in the land seeking His Excellency to rescue them.

“Representing the Zimbabwe Indigenous Road Transporters Association, I would like to extend our sincere appreciation to His Excellence, the President of Zimbabwe for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to the transformation of the nation’s economy.

“As indigenous transporters we recognise the critical role we play in facilitating the movement of goods and all forms of cargo and we are eager to contribute to the President’ s vision. Our industry is committed in working close with the government to ensure that we support the nation’s economic aspirations,” said Mr Simon Gambiza ZIRTA chairman.

Mr Gambiza highlighted challenges affecting the industry and asked the President to rescue them. He said as ZIRTA they seek 100 percent enforcement of indigenisation and economic act inclusive of amendments of the first schedule of Chapter 14.33 Section 3A Reserved sector threshold of 2024.

He said that they reject the joint statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development issued on March 31, 2025 which conflicts with the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act for the reserved sector.

However, Zimbabwe Road Transporters Association applauds the Ministry of Industry and Commerce for continuous engagements with the organisation.

Zimbabwe Transporters Association also calls upon fellow associations, industry players and stakeholders in the reserved sector to join hands in support and protect and ensure compliance.

However Zimbabwe Road Transporters Association reiterates that they disagree with the contents of the joint statement by both Ministries urging foreign investors operating in the Haulage Logistics industry to comply with reserved sector regulations.

ZIRTA requested the two relevant Ministries to urgently convene a stakeholder meeting so that they understand the damage caused already in the industry.

“There are no skills and technology transfer to Zimbabweans, foreign transporters coming into this country benefit from skills endowed in Zimbabwe drivers who are highly demanded regionally and internationally. Investors in the haulage sector have destroyed the supply chain as they control the movement of cargo from extraction of minerals to the delivery ports.

“They make their money from the extracted minerals which is why their trucks can afford to run to Beira loaded and come back empty to load. No special permits should be allowed for foreign transporters to invest into the haulage sector because the damage done so far may take years to repair or it may never be repaired,” concluded Gambiza.

TOP PIC:
Zimbabwe Indigenous Road Transporters Association chairman Mr Simon Gambiza addressing the Press yesterday.