Beitbridge hamstrung as revenue plummets

Beitbridge town council is harmstrung as it is receiving 50% of the revenue it normally gets in a month after government ordered the closure of bottlestores as part of measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beitbridge Town Clerk Loud Ramakgapola told Southern Eye yesterday that this had affected the border town’s capacity to generate revenue from beer sales.

Ramakgapola said Beitbridge town’s cash cow was fees from motorists, but this had also been affected because the COVID-19-induced lockdown had cut down intercity and country-to-country travel.

“In terms of revenue collection, we are currently not getting enough as we are getting around 50% of our usual collections.

“We usually receive about 30 to 40 buses per day at our main rank and this was a big source of revenue.

“For now, we do not receive any revenue,’’ Ramakgapola said.

“Because there was no construction taking place, and stands servicing by developers was not happening, revenue inflow from stands was also very low.

“However, we have benefited from the constant monitoring of businesses. A number of grocery shops are very keen to get licensed, which is quite positive,’’ he said.

The Beitbridge Town Clerk said they also lost revenue from taxis that operated in town, at bars, bottlestores and from all places that sell beer.

He said the town used to get revenue from informal traders who sell various wares.

Beitbridge is located at the border of Zimbabwe and South Africa in Matabeleland South province and is one of the busiest inland ports in sub-Saharan Africa, with about 3 000 people crossing the border on a daily basis.

South Africa announced level three lockdown restrictions this month.

It is unclear whether the ban will continue until mid-February, in line with recent border closure.-newsday.co.zw