NRZ woos private sector

Budget.

NRZ public relations manager Mr Fanuel Masikati said partnership with private players would assist revitalise the parastatal.
“The NRZ is soliciting the support of private companies to participate in the public private partnership programme in an effort to capacitate the organisation and enable it to play its key role of being the backbone of the transport industry that sustains economic recovery of the country.

“Some companies have in the past participated in the same scheme which saw the organisation refurbishing some of its wagons and locomotives,” he said.

Mr Masikati said through its own initiative and financial resources, the NRZ was refurbishing some of its locomotives, wagons, tankers and passenger coaches to boost existing capacity.

The parastatal requires about US$2 billion to implement its long-term strategy with US$400 million required in the short term to restore infrastructure.
Mr Masikati said revitalising the railway services provider would allow the parastatal to recapture lost traffic and win new customers.

“In this process NRZ recognises that a real change of focus is needed as meeting the demands of the market has become an urgent priority. At the same time the NRZ is aiming to meet new regional objectives and conquer new frontiers in the regional context,” the NRZ spokesman said.

The NRZ, which has a network stretching over 2 760-route kilometres, last year moved 3,7 million tonnes of goods against a target of six million tonnes of freight.

This year the parastatal is again targeting to move six million tonnes of freight although there have not been changes within the company and the economy in general. – New Ziana.