South African hauliers should benefit from the opening of the Kazungula Bridge between Zambia and Botswana, as the route can reduce the turnaround time from Gauteng to the Zambian and DRC Copperbelts by 10 days.This is according to Duncan Bonnett, director at Johannesburg-based Africa House.“It should lower the price of doing business, provided the bottleneck does not move to the South African border,” says Bonnett.Stretching 920 metres over the Zambezi River, the bridge has been a long time in the making and delivers the long-required and needed alternative route for hauliers.Both the Zambian and Botswana governments have publicly stated the bridge will open avenues for improved trade.After much delay the bridge opened on May 10 this year and has since seen a steady f low of traffic.Most experts, like Bonnett, are optimistic about the potential impact the bridge can have, heralding a new chapter for regional trade.The bridge is part of the Trans-African Highway Network and the North-South corridor link between the SADC and Comesa free trade areas.The Kazungula Bridge between Zambia and Botswana.
