At least 21 companies are vying for a formal tender that opens on Tuesday in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city, for the recapitalisation of the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), which operates almost as an empty shell. It is understood from people close to the tender process that Transnet Freight Rail, a unit of South Africa's Transnet, is among the companies on the list for placing formal bids. Transnet Freight Rail is the largest division of Transnet and has an extensive rail network across South Africa that connects with other rail networks in sub-Saharan Africa. The NRZ's operations have been severely affected by legacy debts of about $70-million, aged railway equipment, outdated locomotives, defunct track signals and a dire need for infrastructure rehabilitation. At its 1990s peak, the NRZ had a workforce of 12,000 workers, but presently has about 5000 staff - with employee relations severely strained by the non-payment of salaries. Industrial action - the longest las...
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