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Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE National Railways of Zimbabwe last purchased locomotives in 1992 and coaches in 1997, a situation that has seen the parastatal operating below capacity due to lack of equipment.
This was said by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Joe Biggy Matiza on Friday last week after a tour around the Railway Museum in Bulawayo.
“The country last witnessed NRZ buying locomotives in 1992 and coaches in 1997 and on other occasions it has always been a case of hiring equipment and rehabilitating old equipment in terms of wagons and coaches,” he said.
Cde Matiza said this has led to losses and delay in getting the transport giant back on its feet.
“While doing this, the NRZ has suffered in terms of spares for the locomotives most of which are imported. Sanctions have not spared NRZ as its locomotives are originally from countries that imposed sanctions on us like America and Canada.
In light of this the new management has requested for Government to support the NRZ drive to get 41 locomotives, 300 wagons and 300 coaches to improve the parastatals capacity so that it breaks even,” he said.
Over the years, NRZ said it has accumulated a huge debt mainly due to decreased capacity levels which have seen the organisation reducing its workforce and witness a sharp reduction in tonnages from a high of at least 14 million tonnes in 1998 to an average of 2.7 million tonnes annually.
Minister Matiza also said the parastatal had pinned its hopes on the revival of the passenger train service.
“While all over the world passenger train services are not profitable, the NRZ believes if Government supports its initiatives especially around commuter and intercity trains, it can find ways of breaking even especially balancing the resources vis-à-vis the service,” he added.
He said if government’s intervention is extended to the NRZ, all its spheres will bloom.
@NyembeziMu
Online Reporter