NRZ cries foul over workers strike as train carrying food relief derails

THE beleaguered National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has come under the spotlight after it has emerged that management hired former workers to operate a goods train that was pulling wagons of imported maize resulting in a derailment in Bindura last week.

Sunday News reported that the derailment, sources said, was caused by human error as preliminary indications point to that the enginemen who were hired were no longer familiar with the deteriorating rail system including a virtually non-functioning signal system.

The derailment which has been kept under wraps happened in Bindura on Wednesday and involved two wagons. The engineman who was operating the derailed train retired from the company in 2008, it has been learnt.

NRZ spokesman Fanuel Masikati confirmed the derailment but refused to shed light on allegations that it was being operated by former employees who were hired to fill the gap after workers downed tools over outstanding salaries.

"What happened is that the particular train was pulling six wagons of mains, two of the wagons were the ones that totally derailed while a third just partially derailed. We managed to recover all the maize as it was in bags. As for the employment of retired employees I would rather not comment on that," said  Masikati.

However, sources said the situation irked some Government officials who felt the parastatal's problems were affecting the importation of maize and resulting in delays to distribute maize to the needy people.

An employee said the Bindura accident was the third derailment since the workers went on strike following similar accidents in Harare and Gweru a few weeks ago.