NRZ records increase in cargo movement

By Jeffrey Muvundusi

The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) says it has recorded a four percent increase in tonnage movement in a space of four months.

NRZ moved more than 1,4 million tonnes of cargo between July 1 and October 31, 2018 putting a difference of 1,3 million tonnes moved during the same period last year.

“The NRZ has witnessed an increase in freight volumes since it received Interim Solution Equipment in February this year as part of the $400 million recapitalisation framework agreement signed with the Diaspora Infrastructure Development Group (DIDG) /Transnet Consortium,” said NRZ public relations manager Nyasha Maravanyika.

The NRZ is leasing 13 locomotives, 200 wagons and seven coaches from the South African rail utility, Transnet, as a temporary measure while awaiting finalisation of the recapitalisation agreement which will see the rail giant acquiring its own rolling stock.

However, the equipment delivered still falls short of the organisation’s requirements as the parastatal has failed to move some of the availed business.

“During the period between July and October, the NRZ sourced 1 625, 909 tonnes for transportation but managed to move 1 447 499 tonnes, resulting in a negative variance of 12 percent,” he said.

According to Maravanyika, the parastatal in July moved 360 141 tonnes of cargo from the 390 266 tonnes it had sourced while in August, cargo volumes moved were 370 622 tonnes while 390 266 tonnes had been sourced.

In September, the rail transporter uplifted 354 034 tonnes of the 404 450 tonnes sourced while in October, 422 485 tonnes were sourced but 362 702 tonnes were moved.
The NRZ sourced 207 241 tonnes in import traffic and managed to move all the availed business.

The parastatal also sourced 335 281 in exports but was able to move 238 734 tonnes.

As part of an interim solution to capacitate NRZ, the parastatal early last year received the first batch of the equipment comprising 150 wagons, seven locomotives and seven passenger coaches from DIDG/Transnet.

Operational capacity at NRZ had largely been impacted negatively by the unfavourable economic climate Zimbabwe has been reeling under for close to two decades.

During its glory days in the 1990s, the strategic logistics company used to move 18 million tonnes of freight annually but the figure has plummeted. DailyNews