Commercial transport, fleet operations and industrial mobility across Africa.
Zimbabwe
Investment and fleet direction
Unifreight’s 2026 programme to add 100 trucks and trailers is one of the clearest current fleet-renewal moves in the market. SABOT’s 500-plus tractor base and Strauss’s 230 tankers and trailers place Zimbabwe among Southern Africa’s more asset-intensive cross-border markets.
OEM brands competing for fleet orders
Scania, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, MAN, FAW and other brands compete in a market where imported parts, currency availability and workshop capability strongly influence fleet choice.
Dealers, workshops and aftersales
Harare and Bulawayo remain the main commercial-vehicle service centres, with many large cross-border fleets also relying on regional dealer support in South Africa and Zambia.
Taxation and import treatment
Vehicle and equipment taxation is sensitive to tariff classification, valuation and prevailing fiscal measures. For large fleets, foreign-currency availability and the effective landed cost of parts can be as consequential as headline duty.
New versus used equipment
Second-hand trucks remain a significant part of the market, but operators running fuel, FMCG and long-haul contracts increasingly use newer tractors where service reliability is contract-critical.
Zimbabwe’s road-freight industry has always been regional. Landlocked geography pushes operators towards South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana, while domestic agriculture, mining and fuel distribution create a substantial internal market.
The country also retains several sizeable home-grown fleets. SABOT’s tractor count places it among Southern Africa’s largest independent long-haul operators, while Unifreight and Strauss show the strength of domestic freight and fuel distribution.