THE National Railways of Zimbabwe is targeting to move six million tonnes of traffic this year up from 3,8 million tonnes in 2011. Last year the parastatal had targeted to move 5,3 million tonnes of traffic but failed due to depressed industrial capacity, ageing equipment and railway infrastructure. NRZ managing director Retired Air Commodore Mike Karakadzai said the performance of the national economy determines the pace of the transport sector.

“We are targeting to move six million tonnes of traffic this year. This will be spurred by an increase in mineral and agricultural production and the industrial capacity utilisation which means more demand for raw materials,” he said.

“We will be moving coal and minerals to various destinations in and outside the country. Sugar cane production is also on the rise and they also rely on us to move cane from the fields to the mills as well as the raw sugar to the refining plants,” he added.

Last month the NRZ and Hwange Colliery Company signed a Service Level Agreement to guarantee the transportation of coal from Hwange to various destinations in and outside the country.

Rtd Air Commodore Karakadzai said that this year NRZ would be checking on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis the volumes that the company would have moved.

The NRZ suffered the brunt of sanctions that Western countries imposed on Zimbabwe as it experienced widespread vandalism of its equipment and infrastructure and could not

refurbish its aged fleet.

The parastatal needs about US$274 million for recapitalisation.