The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) is facing backlash after refusing to take action against a Chinese-owned company that built a security wall across a railway line in Harare, sparking concerns over unauthorised construction on state infrastructure.
Over the weekend, images of the wall built over a railway siding in the Willowvale industrial area circulated widely on social media, prompting public outrage.
NRZ issued a statement on Monday claiming that the siding – once linked to a now-defunct factory – was privately owned and no longer under its jurisdiction.
It said the Chinese company had told its investigators earlier on Monday that it decided to build “the security wall to prevent thieves from accessing their newly acquired property.”
“So, effectively, the NRZ does not have any mandate over the disused line but understands that the City of Harare is looking into the matter,” NRZ said in a statement that appeared to exonerate it from any responsibility for acting against the Chinese firm.
While NRZ has distanced itself from the matter, critics argue that the railway operator is failing to exercise its mandate and is shifting blame.
Harare residents questioned NRZ’s stance, citing the Railways Act, which grants the state-owned operator authority over railway infrastructure, including sidings leased to private entities.
“A disused track does not mean an abandoned track unless it has been formally decommissioned through gazetted documentation,” argued one Harare resident.
Critics contend that the security wall’s construction violates legal protocols as such developments require approval from NRZ, municipal authorities and environmental regulators.
Without proper documentation confirming decommissioning, the structure constitutes encroachment on regulated infrastructure.
JN/APA