By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has addressed a viral video depicting a haulage truck sinking along a road, clarifying that the incident occurred on an old section of the Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway and not on the active detour route.
The video sparked concern among Zimbabweans, with some critics highlighting the perceived failure of the ministry to maintain roads.
In a statement released yesterday 18 February, the ministry sought to dispel misinformation surrounding the incident.
“The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development notes with concern a viral video which is currently circulating on social media, purportedly showing a sinking haulage truck along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road. Upon careful review, the video depicts an incident on the old Masvingo Highway, specifically near the 42km peg, close to Bhati Shops,” the statement read.
The ministry explained that the section of road where the incident took place leads to a damaged low-level crossing over the Tugwi River, which is no longer in use. The affected area is not part of the detour being used during the ongoing upgrade of the Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway.
Investigations by the authorities revealed that the truck driver was attempting to reconnect to the main highway, by passing the designated detour.
“Following a site visit, it was confirmed that a single haulage truck was visibly stuck on the old highway. Further investigations revealed that the truck driver was attempting to reconnect to the existing highway, bypassing the detour,” the ministry stated.
The Ministry of Transport urged the public to verify information before sharing it on social media and reassured road users that the incident occurred on an inactive section of the road.
Motorists have been struggling on the unfinished section of the Beitbridge -Masvingo highway which has been badly damaged by the road that they can hardly move above 20kms an hour.