Beitbridge

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The bridge is named after Alfred Beit, founder of the De Beers diamond mining company and business associate of Cecil Rhodes. He was also a director of a number of companies, among them the British South Africa Company and Rhodesia Railways. The bridge was constructed in 1929 at a cost of $220 000 and financed jointly between the Beit Railways Trust and the South African Railways. A new bridge was constructed in 1995. The 24th November 1995 marked the official opening of the new Beit Bridge. It was built by the Zimbabwean Government, which now benefits from the tolls levied on crossings. The new bridge can accommodate much greater trans-border traffic than the old one could, which is now for rail traffic only.