President Mnangagwa now witnessing the signing of the
agreement between the parties…
12:58 – President Mnangagwa speaks…
“The other day VP Mohadi whispered to me that he wants to
be President I told him the tricks – 1. Be sentenced to death and survive, 2.
Be poisoned and still survive, 3. Be subjected to 9 youth interfaces and survive
and three be a border jumper and survive.
“I am excited by this project as this will go a long way in
addressing key resources gaps while negotiations are still ongoing. This will
go a long way in seeing this city regain its status as the country’s industrial
hub which will also go a long way in enhancing the country’s economic
competitiveness. An effective railway system will see us reduce the cost of
landing our goods in various countries. The Sadc industrialisation road map
identified the enhancing of our rail infrastructure in boosting regional trade.
“My government is committed in ensuring the
recapitalisation and modernisation of our railway system. A rejuvenated railway
system will not only benefit Zimbabwe but other countries in the region
especially those on the north of us. Comprehensive strategies have been put in
place to revive our transporting sector. Our road and railway system must be
complimentary. The current situation where our roads are moving bulk cargo must
not be encouraged as this damages our road infrastructure therefore we must
move towards the revival of our rail system so as to move cargo to to railway.
“The speed we address challenges in our transport and
Infrastructure must be expedited to be en-sync with our mantra that Zimbabwe is
open for Business. I would like to commend the partners in this deal, the
timing of this project is most opportune and shows confidence in the future of
this our country. The realisation of this project will not only benefit
industry but will also improve NRZ passenger train schedule. My government will
continue to support the restoration of the NRZ. I call upon the partners to
move swiftly in concluding the deal and come up with a win-win agreement…
“To the workers I am fully aware of the problems you are
facing in terms of salaries. Your minister has pleaded with you continuously
and I must assure you that we will attend to your current challenges. Please
let us all support this project. I thank you all,” President Mnangagwa wraps up
his speech.
12:40 – “President ED is a man born of the liberation
struggle, during federation he went to northern Rhodesia, educated there and
even started politics there. He is one of the first people in the 1960s to receive
military training to come and liberate our nation. Due to his political
activity he was at one point sentenced to death by the colonial government but
was saved from the gallows because of his age.
“This our President is a very strong man, if you remember
he survived nine grueling interface rallies. He would actually clap and shake
the hands of the people who were demonising him, it takes a man of stature to
do that. Along this course at one point he got a threat to his life, which
resulted in him crOssing the border, which he prefers calling border jumping.
However one thing I can tell you is that he is a tried and tested leader and I
am confident that he will steer us from the problems which we are all facing in
the country.”
12:22 – VP Mohadi about to take to the podium to introduce
President Mnangagwa…
12:20 – South Africa Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi is
now on the podium…
“I bring greetings from President Cyril Ramaphosa. In his
SONA President Ramaphosa said we will be coming together with the world to
celebrate President Mandela’s birthday. We dedicate our visit today to Madiba
and his long standing vision of strengthening bilateral relations between South
Africa and Zimbabwe. If you remember Madiba and former President Mugabe came
together to construct Beitbridge. We are now working round the clock in having
a one stop border post. We are also working on the aviation side to increase
flights between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
“I enjoy a good working condition with Zimbabwe Transport
Minister, Dr Joram Gumbo and I am confident that we will go along way in
improving bilateral relations with the Zimbabwe government especially in the
transport industry. With the project we are unveiling today, we hope it will go
a long way in improving regional rail network in the region and harmonising the
safe movement of freight and passengers in the region. It will also play a
pivotal role in improving regional integration and further regionalisation in
the two countries.”
12:02 – Transport Minister, Dr Joram Gumbo now giving his
remarks…
“The recapitalisation of NRZ is long overdue as it was
operating using equipment that is not economically sustainable. The journey to
revive NRZ has taken a long time but has been eventually fruitful, this is
evidenced by the function which we are attending today. The situation on ground
really requires an urgent solution as we all know that our rail system goes a
long way in reviving our economy as a whole.
“Today we are unveiling part of the equipment but by the
end of April we will have received all the other equipment. It is the time to
awaken our railway giant…..this is the new dispensation.”
11:45 – Transnet representative Mr Patrius Fusi now
addressing delegates…
“We are excited of this relationship that we have forged
with NRZ. We are coming up with a geographical strategy especially at enhancing
our presence in the continent. We want to be in the forefront of regional
integration to help improve cross-border trade. Partnership are important in moving
our growth forward.
“This event shows that we are acting rather than talking.
We are pleased that we are contributing to Zimbabwe’s programme of action.We
are with you as we embark on this journey that we have started. ”
11:41 – NRZ board chairman Mr Larry Mavhima takes to the
stand…
“Our once proud NRZ had been reduced to a pale shadow of
its former self. We no longer lived up to our motto, ‘We move the nation’,
which was really worrying. Last year we began our first step in the
recapitalisation project of our railways through the invitation of partners to
work with on this massive project. We are happy that we are eventually
witnessing the fruition of our dreams.
“We are showing all that we took heed of the President’s
remarks that Zimbabwe is now open for business. Today we announce that we cease
to become a problem child as we will be moving the nation to a brighter future.
11:20 – Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe Mr Tafadzwa
Musarara has the microphone…
“As millers we are a transport reliant business. It is our
conviction that rail transport will always be cheaper. Milling industry cannot
be wholly reliant on the road infrastructure. NRZ service delivery impacts on
food prices and services delivery in the country. I would like to commend the
President’s Solomonic leadership as it
is clear that Zimbabwe is ready for business,” he concludes his brief speech.
11:15 – DIDG representative Mr D Chimandanda now giving his
remarks…
“As I stand here we say diaspora is ready to help revive
our country and we have vowed to help increase diaspora investment. As recent
as last week we started we working with our diaspora colleagues in North
America. We believe in reviving such infrastructure as rail will go along way
in making it cheaper to do business in Zimbabwe. We are grateful for the
support we have got from the government.
“To my fellow colleagues in the diaspora let us stop being
critics fr0m the sidelines and come support our country. There is no task which
is insurmountable, we will revive our NRZ,” he says.
11:00 – NRZ Manager Engineer Lewis Mukwada now on the
podium…
“To us today marks another milestone in our journey to
revive our country’s railway infrastructure. Our vision is to restore the
capacity in which our railways was associated with back in the day. This
equipment is to close the gap while we continue negotiations so that we get
financial closure as we realised we were losing business as negotiations
continued.
“Part of these trains will target our chrome market where
we expect a net profit of $1.1 million monthly after payment of our lease fee.
This is a very significant step as we were failing to meet our targets but we
will now manage to get the foreign currency we were losing because of our
capacity constraints,” he concludes his remarks.
10:50 – “I applaud the spirit of cooperation between the
NRZ and its partners. Together we are going to face all challenges and succeed.
My offices is always open to render any services required. I want to say to the
people of Bulawayo that things are happening and they should be part of things
that are happening and not those that have not happened. I want to say to
everyone feel at work not just at home. There is no hour to feel at hme but at
work because life comes from work not just slumbering.”
10:43 – “Despite the problems faced by NRZ it has remained
a pillar of development in the city especially in its support of downstream
industries within the city.”
10:36 – Bulawayo Minister of State Cde Angeline Masuku now
giving the welcome remarks.
“I am here to welcome uBaba uPresident to this beautiful
city of Queens and Kings. We feel greatly honoured to play host to this unique
and historic ceremony. Not only am I enthralled by your presence but I am
excited by the prospects of a revived rail system that will go a long way in reviving
other industries in the city and country as a whole.”
10:26 – President ED is being accompanied by Vice President
Kembo Mohadi, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo
and Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha among top government officials.
PREAMBLE
President Mnangagwa is today expected to preside over the
reception ceremony for interim solution equipment under the National Railways
of Zimbabwe recapitalisation and signing of the framework agreement between NRZ
and Transnet.
Last July, NRZ identified DIDG/Transnet consortium as a
suitable investor to recapitalise the parastatal. The two parties are expected
to reach financial closure for the $400 million NRZ recapitalisation deal by
mid-year.
The $400 million recapitalisation project involves the
rehabilitation and renewal of plant, equipment, rolling stock, signaling and
telecommunications infrastructure and the supporting information technology
systems. It is also hoped that the project will see the repairing and
rehabilitation of infrastructure and equipment such as locomotives, wagons and
coaches as well as phased modernisation of train control system.
Over the years, concerns have been raised by different
stakeholders that long-haul road freight was damaging Zimbabwe’s road network
as well as causing congestion at border posts.
Today the equipment that will be unveiled comprises 13
locomotives, 200 wagons and 34 coaches and is being leased from South African
rail utility, Transnet, under a clause in the framework agreement between NRZ
and the Diaspora Investment Development Group (DIDG)/Transnet Consortium. Chronicle
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