NRZ rehabilitates rail network

Victoria Falls Reporter
THE National Railways of Zimbabwe has started rehabilitating its railway line network across the country after receiving $4 million from the Government under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP), an official has said.In an interview, NRZ public relations manager Mr Fanuel Masikati said the parastatal received $4 million out of its $9 million allocation from the Government.

“We received our allocation in batches in July and August and that money has gone towards the rehabilitation of our rail network,” he said.

Mr Masikati said the rehabilitation of the rail network was expected to improve the movement of goods and people.
“We are the major player in the movement of goods and people and moving the nation is only feasible when the rail network is working properly which is why we are undertaking this programme. The programme is also aimed at making sure that we have a safe rail network because with NRZ safety comes first,” he said.

Mr Masikati said they were covering all the sections of the rail network in the country from Victoria Falls to Harare, Bulawayo to Masvingo, and Harare to Mutare among other routes.

Meanwhile, Mr Masikati said NRZ had managed to transport most of the coal from Hwange to the markets in Bulawayo and other areas.
Coal mining companies like Makomo Resources Mine had been accusing NRZ of failing to deliver coal to their customers.

Makomo Resources Mine production manager Mr Bernard Zvigumbu recently told Business Chronicle that they were sitting on 30 000 tonnes of coal because NRZ was failing to transport it.

“Of the 30 000 tonnes that were at TJ siding produced by Makomo, we have since moved almost all of it. As NRZ we move the nation and want to play that role effectively,” he said.