The Road Development Agency (RDA) Board Members have conducted an inspection of the Kafue Weighbridge in Kafue as part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard the country’s road infrastructure.
The inspection, led by RDA Board Vice Chairperson Dr. Ngoza Munthali, focused on assessing the operational efficiency of the weighbridge, the condition of the facility, and adherence to standards aimed at preventing overloading on Zambia’s road network.
Dr. Munthali emphasized the importance of weighbridges in protecting roads from premature deterioration caused by overloaded vehicles.
The team reviewed key operational processes, inspected weighing equipment, and engaged staff on measures to improve service delivery and compliance monitoring. The inspection also provided an opportunity to identify areas requiring maintenance and upgrades to enhance the facility’s effectiveness.
And speaking in an interview, RDA Board Technical Committee member Eng. Denis Mwaba underscored the urgent need to improve and modernise weighbridge facilities across Zambia.
“There are hidden economic cost implications when there are delays at weighbridges. Once resources and raw materials needed by various industries are delayed, the cost of production also increases…labour costs also go up because industries are removed from their schedule.
This also means that prices of goods and commodities go up because production is expensive,” Eng. Mwaba said.
“Weighbridges across the country need to be efficient. There is a need for enhanced technology, we need smart cameras…we also need to begin linking data. For example, if a truck is captured at any of the borders, that data should be accessed at the weighbridges. There should also be no manual handling of data. We need to eliminate all the congestion and delays at the weighbridges.”
Meanwhile, RDA Chief Executive Officer Eng. Nelson Chuma reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to modernizing weighbridge facilities nationwide as part of broader efforts to safeguard public investments in road infrastructure, improve road safety, and support economic growth through efficient transportation systems.
And, RDA Acting Director – Road Maintenance Eng. Paul Habasimbi said the growing traffic volumes and increased freight movement require modern and efficient axle load control systems capable of detecting violations quickly and accurately.
The Kafue Weighbridge serves as a strategic checkpoint for monitoring heavy goods vehicles using major transport corridors.
The inspection forms part of the Agency’s routine monitoring programme aimed at ensuring weighbridge facilities continue to operate effectively and support the Government’s infrastructure development agenda.