NORTON – Zimbabwe’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona, on Thursday commissioned the newly expanded Norton Toll Plaza.
This vital infrastructure is designed to reduce congestion, facilitate seamless transit, enhance revenue collection for road maintenance, speed up transactions, save time, and promote broader economic development.
In his address, Mhona outlined a broader vision for toll plazas, transforming them from mere revenue collection points into multi-functional hubs.
He highlighted that, as part of a new post-crash management programme, ambulances and medical personnel will be stationed at strategic plazas like Norton.
This initiative aims to provide emergency response and evacuate accident victims within the critical “golden hour.”
Furthermore, he emphasized that these plazas naturally become nuclei for economic growth, attracting supportive businesses and services to their vicinity.
Looking ahead, the Minister challenged ZINARA and the Ministry to pioneer a shift towards All-Electronic Tolling (AET) systems.
He envisions a future utilizing high-speed cameras, 5G connectivity, artificial intelligence, and RFID technology to enable toll collection without requiring vehicles to stop.
Mhona reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to transparency and modern electronic systems to reduce revenue leakages, rebuild public trust, and ensure funds are directly channelled into road maintenance and development.
He was accompanied by the Minister of State for Mashonaland West, Marian Chombo; Transport ministry Permanent Secretary Eng. Joy Pedzisayi Makumbe.
Also present were ZINARA Board Chairperson, George Manyaya; ZINARA CEO, Nkosinathi Ncube; and several government officials.
