Terminal to cut travel time

For the past 24 years, cross-border truck driver Cleopas Neusu has been transporting goods from the Durban port to other countries in Southern Africa.

Now, a new intermodal terminal initiative launched by Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies in Musina, Limpopo, yesterday is set to reduce travel time for truck drivers while creating more jobs.

The Musina Intermodal Terminal (MIT) is a private sector initiative in partnership with the government and is situated just 10km from the busy Beit Bridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

It is expected to reduce road congestion, bringing goods from Durban via rail to Musina.

The project is also expected to create 500 jobs within the first three years of its opening while also bolstering cross-border trade in Southern Africa.

Neusu, 45, said: "This is going to help a lot because it will bring things closer to us. It means that we no longer have to fetch goods from the Durban port. We will have enough time to rest in between."

Director of the MIT logistics hub, Isaac Chalumbira, said the first phase of the project cost R100-million. Davies said they were looking forward to resolving all issues hindering cross-border trade.