The Road Fund Administration (RFA) has started to collect cross-border charges (CBC’s) and mass distance charges (MDC’s) on all foreign registered vehicles carrying above 3500 kg entering the Namibian border. The new system was officially introduced on 1 April.

Previously the RFA made use of agents to collect these funds, but according to Andreas Helmich, the acting chief executive officer (CEO) at RFA, the board its instructed officials to start collecting these funds. Foreign-registered vehicles will henceforth have to obtain the CBC permit and drivers of vehicles with a carrying capacity above 3500 kg should obtain the MDC permit, based on a calculation of the distance the vehicle would travel within the borders of Namibia. “RFA started on 1 April to collect these funds and will no longer make use of agents to do that as before. It will ensure greater accountability and transparency, as the RFA will have direct control over the collection of these road-user charges,” Helmich says. The RFA administers the Roads Fund into which the Road User Charges are paid and is responsible for maintaining the national road infrastructure. Helmich is further convinced that the new system that obliges foreign-registered vehicles entering the Namibian border to pay will ensure greater fairness and transparency. “It is only fair and accurate that and foreign vehicles entering the Namibian border should pay for using the Namibian roads,” the CEO says.
The CEO of the RFA encourages vehicle owners of foreign-registered vehicles who enter the Namibian border to visit the office of RFA. “At the office drivers will be requested to complete a form and pay a fee. They will then obtain their permits that will ensure that they can freely enter at the Namibian border,” he emphasised.
Offices of the RFA are located at the border posts of Noordoewer, Ariamsvlei, Sendelingdrift, Velloordrif, Aroab, Mata Mata, Buitepos, Oshikango, Mahanene, Katwitwi and Mohembo.