By A Correspondent
The City of Bulawayo has officially prohibited heavy vehicles—locally referred to as MaGonyeti—weighing over 9 tonnes from entering the Central Business District (CBD).
In a notice issued on Monday, 2 June, the local authority announced new traffic regulations aimed at improving traffic flow and protecting urban infrastructure. “The City of Bulawayo advises residents and stakeholders that vehicles exceeding 9 tonnes travelling through or within the city are barred from entering the Central Business District and must adhere to the following routes,” the notice reads.
Designated Routes for Heavy Vehicles
To accommodate the change, the city outlined specific routes that truck drivers must now follow:
From Harare to Victoria Falls: Harare Road → 1st Avenue → Robert Mugabe Way → Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue → Lady Stanley Avenue → Victoria Falls Road
From Victoria Falls to Harare: Victoria Falls Road → Stanley Avenue → Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue → Lady Stanley Avenue → Robert Mugabe Way → 1st Avenue → Harare Road
From Plumtree to Victoria Falls: Plumtree Road → Masiyephambili → Victoria Falls Road
From Harare to Plumtree & Belmont Industrial Area: Plumtree Harare Road → George Avenue → Ascot Road → Philips Drive → Baines Drive → 23rd Avenue
From Plumtree to Harare: Plumtree Road → 23rd Avenue → Baines Drive → Ascot Road → Philips Drive → George Avenue → Harare Road
From Gwanda to Plumtree or Belmont: Gwanda Road → Ascot Road → Philips Drive → 23rd Avenue → Plumtree Road
From Gwanda to Victoria Falls: Gwanda Road → George Avenue → Harare Road → 1st Avenue → Robert Mugabe Way → Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue → Lady Stanley Avenue → Victoria Falls Road
Additional Advisory for Truckers
The city also emphasized that “truck drivers passing through Bulawayo [are] not to stop for rest at undesignated locations,” urging them instead to use the Truck Inn located on Victoria Falls Road, opposite the Amakhosi Cultural Centre.
This measure forms part of broader efforts by the Bulawayo City Council to manage traffic congestion, reduce road damage, and enhance safety within the CBD.