Freedom Mashava, Visuals Editor 
THE National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) says under capitalisation and government neglect is hampering efforts to revive the railway.
NRZ board chairman, Martin Dinha said the revival of the national railway was key to the country’s development.
“As the major shareholder of NRZ, the government should play a significant role in the revival of the entity as we recapitalise this enabling component of our economy,” Dinha, said during the commemoration of the Railway Safety Week in Harare last week.
He said while NRZ is able to generate capital for immediate needs, it requires long term financing to revive key operations.
“The little money we are receiving from the government is committed towards servicing the rolling stock, the locomotives and wagon and repair of signals. As the Board, we sincerely request the government to treat NRZ like other parastatals which are assisted with grant capital,” he said.
The NRZ requires at least US$1, 9 billion to recapitalize.
A joint venture between Transnet and Diaspora Infrastructure Development Group, a consortium of Zimbabwean investors living abroad, won the bid to recapitalize the financially struggling NRZ with $400 million in August 2017 but the deal was cancelled last year after it emerged that the consortium did not have the capacity.
The rail carrier requires 41 locomotives, 300 wagons and 300 coaches for it to get back to its rightful position. In 2019, NRZ only managed to move 2, 8 million tonnes of cargo against a target of 4,2 million in 2019.
Transport minister, Joel Matiza who addressed the same meeting said there was need to improve the rail infrastructure which suffered years of plunder and lack of attention
Meanwhile, NRZ says it has lost an estimated US$3, 7 million worth of equipment mainly signals infrastructure due to vandalism and 700 kg of copper cables in the past three years.
