A Chinese company has expressed interest in engaging the National Railways of Zimbabwe in a deal that will see over two million tonnes of iron ore being transported per year.
It has not been easy on the “rail” for the National Railways of Zimbabwe.
While confronting locomotive and wagon shortages, dilapidated infrastructure and recapitalisation delays, the state entity has however not given up.
As the government deals with the issues of how to recapitalise what was once a regional rail powerhouse, the board and management are pre-occupied with chasing and developing other business ventures.
The chairperson of the board, Advocate Martin Dinha has announced a lucrative deal which is set to be sealed with a Chinese company.
“A Chinese company has approached us. They want us to carry over 2 million tonnes of iron ore. We will be transporting it to Beira via rail. As NRZ, we have not stopped chasing business even before the government comes up with a conclusive plan of how to recapitalise…,” he said.
Over the years freight volumes moved by the NRZ have dropped significantly with the company saying from 1986 to date they have lost over 16 million tonnes that it used to move internally and across the region.
The challenges cited for this include inadequate locomotives, poor state of infrastructure, shortage of export fit wagons all further compounded by the impact of illegal sanctions on the country.
The NRZ is however optimistic that a deal such as the one set to sealed with the Chinese will set the company on a totally different course.
