Business / Local
ACF to partner NRZ in upgrading Kwekwe-Beitbridge railwayline
15 May 2016 at 14:26hrs | Views
AFRICA Chrome Fields (ACF) will this week sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) to revitalise the railway line from Kwekwe to Beitbridge to enable smooth and efficient transportation of ferrochrome to neighbouring South Africa.
NRZ runs a line from Kwekwe to Beitbridge via Gweru, Zvishavane and Rutenga. In an interview on the sidelines of a tour of 10 washing plants in Kwekwe set up by ACF, the company's legal advisor, Ashruf Kaka said the company was in negotiations with NRZ and were looking forward to signing an MoU this week with the parastatal to revamp the railway line.
Kaka said ACF was also negotiating with NRZ to review their tariffs downwards to enable mining companies to utilise the railway line instead of transporting minerals by road.
"We have approached NRZ with the view of assisting us by revisiting the tariffs. We are also negotiating with them to give us an opportunity to participate in the upgrading the railway station in Kwekwe as well as upgrading the line from Kwekwe to Beitbridge. The purpose of this is a holistic approach in enhancing railway infrastructure for the purposes of transportation of chrome on one hand or anything else for that matter because once the line has been upgraded and the infrastructure is there all other companies would benefit from the line. We are in the process of signing an MoU which we will probably sign early next week (this week) and from there we will proceed with the next steps," he said.
Kaka said ACF had engaged an engineering company to evaluate the infrastructural upgrade as well as looking at the requirements.
"We have already engaged an engineering company to look into many aspects of this (railway line upgrading) we are sure that they are fully equipped to deal with such issues. This is a long term approach," he said.
Kaka said ACF was advocating for decentralisation of chrome deposits to enable other players to come in. Zimbabwe Alloys Company (ZimAlloys) in Gweru and Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting Company (Zimasco) monopolise ownership of the chrome fields.
"We are asking the Government to enable us to utilise some of the chrome deposits that have been underutilised. We, however, do not intend to fight other companies," he said.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa said the matter would be considered as long as it will bring benefits to all partners concerned.
NRZ runs a line from Kwekwe to Beitbridge via Gweru, Zvishavane and Rutenga. In an interview on the sidelines of a tour of 10 washing plants in Kwekwe set up by ACF, the company's legal advisor, Ashruf Kaka said the company was in negotiations with NRZ and were looking forward to signing an MoU this week with the parastatal to revamp the railway line.
Kaka said ACF was also negotiating with NRZ to review their tariffs downwards to enable mining companies to utilise the railway line instead of transporting minerals by road.
"We have approached NRZ with the view of assisting us by revisiting the tariffs. We are also negotiating with them to give us an opportunity to participate in the upgrading the railway station in Kwekwe as well as upgrading the line from Kwekwe to Beitbridge. The purpose of this is a holistic approach in enhancing railway infrastructure for the purposes of transportation of chrome on one hand or anything else for that matter because once the line has been upgraded and the infrastructure is there all other companies would benefit from the line. We are in the process of signing an MoU which we will probably sign early next week (this week) and from there we will proceed with the next steps," he said.
"We have already engaged an engineering company to look into many aspects of this (railway line upgrading) we are sure that they are fully equipped to deal with such issues. This is a long term approach," he said.
Kaka said ACF was advocating for decentralisation of chrome deposits to enable other players to come in. Zimbabwe Alloys Company (ZimAlloys) in Gweru and Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting Company (Zimasco) monopolise ownership of the chrome fields.
"We are asking the Government to enable us to utilise some of the chrome deposits that have been underutilised. We, however, do not intend to fight other companies," he said.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa said the matter would be considered as long as it will bring benefits to all partners concerned.
Source - Sunday News
