Nduna hails NRZ deal

Mash West Correspondent
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development Cde Dexter Nduna has hailed Government for approving the $400 million deal for the National Railway of Zimbabwe (NRZ), which will likely see the revival of the ailing parastatal.

Cde Nduna, who is also the Chegutu West legislator, said the conclusion of the deal between NRZ and the Diaspora Infrastructure Development Group (DIDG) was encouraging, as it would see the public entity improving its capacity utilisation and getting fresh capital.

“There were reports that there were greedy ministers that wanted to thwart the $400 million deal,” he said.

“This deal is now going to be signed. This is a welcome development and it is coming at a time where we want to go back to 19 million tonnes of cargo that NRZ ferried at its peak in 1996. As we speak, we are moving about 1,9 million tonnes. We need to revamp and resuscitate NRZ.”

Cde Nduna said $150 million of the $400 million will be used to buy 24 mainline locomotives and 13 rail shunters or shunting locomotives.

“Twenty locomotives that are part of the current fleet are going to be refurbished,” he said.

“Similarly, NRZ plans to acquire 1 000 new wagons and refurbish the 700 that it presently has.”

Cde Nduna said a quarter of the $400 million would be used to transform and overhaul the signalling system.

“It is also envisaged that more than $100 million will be invested in modernising and refurbishing the State enterprise’s train control and signalling system,” he said.