Beitbridge

Beitbridge is a border town in the province of Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe. The name also refers to the border post and bridge spanning the Limpopo River, which forms the political border between South Africa and Zimbabwe.BackgroundThe town lies just north of the Limpopo River about 1 km from the Alfred Beit Road Bridge which spans the Limpopo River between South Africa and Zimbabwe. The main roads lead from the border 321 km north-west to Bulawayo and 585 km north-east to Harare via Masvingo. According to the 2002 population census, the town had a population of 22,387 dominated by the local Venda people, who are also found across the international border in the Vhembe District of the Republic of South Africa. The Beitbridge border post is the busiest road border post in southern Africa, and is best avoided during busy border-crossing seasons.The TownBeitbridge has an estimated 2,570 houses in formal settlements and 3,000 in informal settlements. Formal-settlement dwellings are mainly two- to three-room brick houses, while those in the informal settlements are among the worst mud houses in Zimbabwe. The mud houses have since been demolished. Average house occupancy in the low-income and informal settlements varies considerably, as many people do not bring their families to Beitbridge, but includes at least four people. Recreational facilities are limited in low-income areas, consisting largely of bars and soccer pitches.