ROAD TOLL CHARGE REMAINS AT E1 400 - MINISTRY

MBABANE – The Ministry of Finance insists that the road toll charge for vehicles entering through the Mhlumeni and Lomahasha Border Gates remains at E1 400.

The ministry said the purpose of a steep increase of the road toll charged on the two borders was to align the toll fees charged by Mozambique on foreign registered trucks entering through these borders.

This is contained in the report of the Finance Portfolio Committee on the Finance Bill No.5 of 2019, which was tabled by Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo in the House of Assembly on Monday.

This follows a submission made by the Co-ordinating Assembly of Non-governmental Organisations (CANGO) which highlighted that the toll fee of E1 600 clause four Amendment of the Road Traffic Act, 2007 for foreign-registered motor vehicles through Mhlumeni and Lomahasha border was too exorbitant and a huge difference from E300 payable for foreign-registered commercial vehicles.
CANGO proposed that the fee be reduced. 

However, the ministry stated that Mozambique charged a toll fee of US$100 per trailer on foreign registered trucks entering Mozambique, at the Lomahasha and Mhlumeni Borders only.

“On the other hand, the toll fee charged by Eswatini on trucks coming into the country from Mozambique is currently E80,” reads the report. 
In proposing the higher rate, the ministry said it wanted to charge an equivalent of what Mozambique charges trucks from the country and therefore proposes that the fee remains.

“In addition, the ministry proposes that instead of the E1 600, the fee be charged as an equivalent of US$100 or E1 400 per trailer and not per truck to ensure full reciprocity,” reads the report.
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport also indicated that there was an MoU on Road Transportation where the two countries could negotiate the reciprocity.

However, while the negotiations are ongoing, the Ministry of Finance proposed that the rate remains until the negotiations were complete.
He said the ministry had conducted a benchmarking exercise which reflected the fees charged in the region and in light of the rates, they had proposed that the road toll rate for heavy vehicles be increased from E300 to E600 save for the Mozambique borders.    

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: