South African logistics firm Transnet will lease locomotives and wagons to Zambia Railways to boost its capacity to handle bulk cargo, Zambia Railways Chief Executive Officer Christopher Musonda has said.
Mr. Musonda said Transnet had agreed to lease eight locomotives and 600 wagons to the Zambian firm, with the first delivery expected within two weeks.
“Our team is currently in South Africa inspecting the locomotives to see if they meet our technical specifications and we expect them to finish by Monday next week,” Mr. Musonda said.
“The wagons will come after the locomotives because we need to get their specifications from our customers, including mining companies.”He gave no financial details but said it would be a profit-sharing arrangement.
Zambia introduced a new law compelling mining firms and other bulk cargo handlers to transport at least 30 percent of their freight by rail meant to revive the sector.
Mr. Musonda said under the agreement, Transnet would also offer technical support, such as the repair of infrastructure and training of staff.
The Chamber of Mines said last month Zambia’s rail infrastructure was in poor repair, lacked capacity and adequate security provision.
The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) said last week South African freight firm Calabash Freight will start using its line in order to maximise the line’s usage.
Zambia’s railway currently has a freight market share of about five percent, with the remainder handled by road transport, according to government data.
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Why didn’t the Eurobond funds buy the locomotives? We are a dumping ground for everything.At least we should have seen a great overhaul of the entire rail line
Ba patriotic matako, sorry behind, kuwayawaya fye.
Ba patriotic ******, sorry behind, kuwayawaya fye. – Very cool feature, I like it! This is better than blocking my posts altogether. Well done LT
You are back to the same thing again…Prof Chirwa who has co-patented the tinted window mechanism for the Dreamliner Aircraft wanted these things to be built/assembled in Zambia in Kabwe but you threw spanners in the works now you are back to hiring rusty ones from RSA.
Rusty and noisy ones indeed! Everything in this country is Salaula or fake Chinese brands, who cursed us?
South Africans were duped and inturn they want to dupe zambia..This idea of training stuff Were does it come from?
I doubt if the rail line has been worked on. This should have been the first priority and not signing SIs and leasing wagons.
We have an SI directing cargo to rail, we dont have rolling stock we dont have lines up to standard andchas anyone bothered to,work out a rate for the carriage by rail. The moment you lease costs increase, we are leasing rolling stock from SA and then entering into a profit sharing scheme. SA 2 Zambia 0 pick the winner
This move is most welcome and long overdue. What is happening on the Great North Road is terrible, monister trucks carrying Katundu/argo2Congo bashing and killing our citizens. Infact the share of 30% is not enough it should have been 60%.
What is happening to the company that is already making the locomotives at ZRL ? I have reliable information that it is making close to 10 Locomotives,and ZRL is not paying them, my question is how is Zambia Railways going to pay Transnet? I sense corruption someone is benefiting from this new deal
aim not a business expert but i think ZR would have more hope than Zambia airways.that 30million us for locomotives say India the difference can seen