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Senior Business Reporter

THE National Railways of Zimbabwe is today expected to sign a working arrangement with Botswana Railways (BR) to facilitate the speedy movement of locomotives between the two countries.

NRZ general manager, Ms Respina Zinyanduko, and her counterpart, BR director operations, Mr Palalani Mari, are in Plumtree to seal the agreement at Plumtree Railway Station.

In its official Twitter handle on Friday, NRZ said the agreement known as ‘Through-Working Agreement’ is envisaged to cut delays and improve efficiency in the delivery of freight.

“NRZ and Botswana Railways (BR) to sign a Through-Working Agreement, which will see both their locomotives passing to Bulawayo and Francistown, respectively,” said the company.

“The agreement is set to cut delays and improve efficiency in the delivery of goods, which includes salt, fuel, grains, sugar and coal.

“Prior to the agreement both NRZ and BR locomotives would turn around at Plumtree, which caused delays and inefficiencies in the delivery of freight.”

The development comes as the Government recently pledged ZW$2 billion to fund refurbishment and rehabilitation of NRZ equipment and infrastructure.

The NRZ needs about US$400 million to fully recapitalise operations in the short-term and about US$1,9 billion in the long-term.

In 2017 NRZ signed a US$420 million recapitalisation deal with the Diaspora Infrastructure Development Group (DIDG) and Transnet of South Africa.

The deal was, however, cancelled by Cabinet in 2019 after the investors failed to provide proof of funding.

Rail is the cheapest mode of transport hence the urgent need to revive the NRZ to enable it to move the bulk of industry’s raw materials and finished products within the country or across the country’s borders.