The start of a dream to link North Africa and Cameroon by rail - Mkwanazi An agreemenT involving Spoornet for building a new R400 million railway line from West Nicholson in Zimbabwe to Beit Bridge has been signed, leaving most Zimbabwe observers astounded.
Construction of the 160km line is to be paid for by Spoornet, the Zimbabwe government, and the newly formed Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway company. Spoornet was represented by Transnet's, Mafika Mkwanazi.
Beitbridge Railway is 15% owned by the National Railways of Zimbabwe, together with New Limpopo Projects (Isle of Man) - which owns the bridge at the border - Sanlam, Nedbank and Old Mutual. Funding has come partly from First National Bank.
The line is expected to be ready by May 1999 and will be built under the Build-Operate-Transfer concept, with the government owning it after 30 years.
A separate deal will be needed to upgrade the existing line from West Nicholson to Bulawayo.
Said Mkwanazi at the signing: This is the beginning of the future in the Southern African Development Community and it is our desire to link Cameroon and the rest of North Africa by rail. Said one sceptical transport agent in Zimbabwe, summing up the industry's feelings: This sounds like the reviival of Cecil Rhodes' Cape to Cairo dream. It can only be for some obscure strategic reason of South Africa's, as there is no economic potential in the foreseeable future.
