Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
A major development has taken place in the mining town of Gwanda in Matabeleland South with the opening of a US$1,5 million lithium transhipment rail siding in West Nicholson.
The project was commissioned on Monday and is expected to bring new opportunities to the province. It is part of the Government’s push for devolution and inclusive development, where services and infrastructure are taken to districts and not only to big cities.
On the day of the launch, the first shipment of lithium concentrate was sent from Gwanda to the Port of Maputo in Mozambique. This marks the start of a new export route that will make it easier and cheaper to move minerals out of the country.
Officials say the new corridor will improve logistics and reduce the country’s reliance on road transport for bulk goods.
The rail siding was built by Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway (BBR) in partnership with Silvergill and the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).
The facility will be used to load lithium concentrate, but it can also handle other minerals such as chrome, ferrochrome and iron ore. This means Matabeleland South can now serve as a key point for moving bulk minerals to regional and international markets.
The investment fits into the Second Republic’s plan to develop infrastructure across the country. It supports the National Development Strategy 2 and Vision 2030, which call for the repair and upgrading of rail lines, more value addition, industrial growth, better links to the region and stronger export capacity.
The project also supports the Government’s policy to get more value from the country’s minerals by improving transport and linking production to markets.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, BBR General Manager Mr Khumbulani Tendai Mabvura said the West Nicholson siding is about unlocking the potential of the province and supporting the growth of mining. He said good infrastructure helps both communities and industry.
He said the project shows that Matabeleland South was not left out of national development, but is at the centre of mineral growth, corridor development and export business.
“We invested in this project because we believe in Zimbabwe, in the future of rail, and in the important role that Matabeleland South plays in the national economy through mining, agriculture, trade and regional connectivity,” said Mr Mabvura.
“We have also taken the national call by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde. E D Mnangagwa, that Zimbabwe is open for business.”
He added that the project is in line with devolution and inclusive development.
Mr Mabvura said development must not be concentrated in a few centres, but instead it must reach the districts, the growth points, the mining areas, the farming communities and the border communities.
He said infrastructure must follow opportunity, and opportunity must be supported by infrastructure.
“The siding will create chances for jobs, local buying of goods and services, small businesses, maintenance work and community projects in the areas around West Nicholson. Mining companies and other customers in the area will now be able to move bulk cargo more efficiently. This will reduce waiting times, make planning easier and connect production directly to transport,” said Mr Mabvura.
He noted that Matabeleland South was blessed with minerals, hardworking communities and strategic geography and that the province sits at a key point for regional movement through Beitbridge and towards Bulawayo, the rest of Zimbabwe and beyond.
“If we are serious about unlocking the full potential of this province, then logistics infrastructure must be treated as a priority,” he said.
“To the communities around West Nicholson, this project is also for you. Infrastructure must serve people. We want this siding to support economic activity in the area, to bring more movement, more visibility and more opportunity.”
Also speaking at the event was the Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Albert Nguluvhe said the province is proud to host such an important project which strengthens Zimbabwe’s role as a regional transport and logistics hub.
Minister Nguluvhe said using rail more will take pressure off the roads and that this will cut the cost of repairing roads, improve road safety, reduce traffic jams and damage to roads, and help the environment because rail moves freight more efficiently.
“The BBR West Nicholson siding stands as a symbol of Zimbabwe’s determination to modernise, industrialise and create opportunities for future generations,” he said.
The Minister said the investment supports the Government’s goal of becoming an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 and that it was also in line with NDS2, which focuses on big infrastructure projects that can grow industry, increase productivity and make the country more competitive in the region.
The West Nicholson siding is part of wider changes happening in the transport sector. Government is working to recapitalise NRZ, repair key railway lines, and bring in more private companies to invest in rail.
The aim is to move more heavy goods from roads to rail. This will lower transport costs for businesses, help roads last longer, and improve Zimbabwe’s position as a trade and transit hub in Southern Africa.
Lithium is one of the minerals driving demand for better logistics. With world demand for lithium growing because of battery production, Zimbabwe is working to export more of the mineral. Having a rail facility close to mining areas makes it easier for companies to get their product to port.
