Government has commissioned a new state-of-the-art asphalt plant expected to significantly boost national road rehabilitation efforts and enhance infrastructure delivery across the country.
The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Tapiwa Mhona, commissioned the Skyline Asphalt Plant, yesterday, following the official opening of the rehabilitated section of Harare Drive stretching from Chinzou Roundabout along Simon Mazorodze Road to Willowvale Road.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Minister Mhona said the highly computerised plant, with a production capacity of 120 tonnes per hour, will play a pivotal role in accelerating road construction and maintenance programmes, starting with intensified works in Harare.
“This plant marks a major milestone in our infrastructure modernisation drive. With a capacity of 120 tonnes per hour, it will significantly enhance our ability to rehabilitate and maintain roads efficiently and cost-effectively,” he said.
He added that Government plans to replicate similar asphalt plants in all ten provinces as part of efforts to decentralise development and ensure uniform road rehabilitation nationwide.
“The commissioning of the plant comes at a time when the Second Republic is intensifying efforts to upgrade the country’s road network in line with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which prioritises infrastructure development as a key enabler of economic growth,” he said.
Minister Mhona said improved road infrastructure will stimulate trade, ease the movement of goods and people, and strengthen Zimbabwe’s competitiveness in the region.
The new plant is also expected to drastically reduce potholes and deteriorating road surfaces, with the Ministry already deploying trucks and dedicated teams in partnership with the City of Harare to intensify pothole patching operations.
“In partnership with the City of Harare, we have deployed 6–7 tonne trucks and mobilised dedicated teams to intensify pothole patching operations across the metropolitan area,” he said.
Officials said the investment underscores Government’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure development and positions the transport sector as a cornerstone of national economic transformation.
The Zimbabwean Government is currently intensifying road rehabilitation nationwide through the extended Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP2), which has been extended until December 2027 to modernise infrastructure. Recent efforts include allocating ZWL$15.7 billion to rehabilitate over 44,000 km of roads, including targeted repairs in Harare and Matabeleland to mitigate rain damage.
Kudos to the Second Republic for such a milestone achievement, asingade kuona kuti paitwa chakanaka ndiye!