State to Construct Border Post to Link With SA Park
Source: The Herald (Harare)
Date: 7 October, 2005
Author: Tsitsi Matope
The world's biggest wildlife sanctuary, the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, got a boost yesterday when Zimbabwe decided to build a border post to facilitate passage between Gonarezhou National Park and South Africa's Kruger National Park.
In an interview yesterday, Chief Immigration Officer, Mr Elasto Mugwadi said Zimbabwe had finally chosen a site in Chitulipasi, east of Beitbridge, to construct a border post.
"A team from the Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development Ministry are currently surveying and clearing the place before construction begins as soon as possible," Mr Mugwadi said.
He said, so far the Government has injected $5 billion into the project that seeks to see the full operation of Southern Africa's first mega park.
The opening of the Giriyondo Border Post linking South Africa and Mozambique's components of the park is expected soon.
Environment and Tourism Minister, Cde Francis Nhema yesterday welcomed the move saying it was good to note that a consensus had finally been reached on the actual positioning of the border post.
"The opening of the border post will boost Zimbabwe's tourism by facilitating linkages and entry into the mega park. We hope other consultations will be conducted on possibilities for another border post to directly link our tourists with Mozambique's Limpopo National Park," Cde Nhema said.
He said the development of the mega park is being done in phases and soon the three countries will converge to open the Giriyondo border post. Zimbabwe needs more than $2 trillion to develop the whole of its side of the mega park, Gonarezhou in Chiredzi.
Cde Nhema said logistics to have a bridge linking Zimbabwe and South Africa are also at an advanced stage.
The development of the mega park is of great interest to Zimbabwe, which has embarked on awareness campaigns meant to lure stakeholders to invest in Gonarezhou National Park and urgently upgrade it.