Railway Systems of Zambia Ltd.

Distressed

In April 2003, the government of Zambia signed a 20 year concession contract with with a consortium of New Limpopo Bridge Projects Investments (NLB1) and Spoornet, South Africa to operate and modernize the 1271km 1067mm-gauge railway. The concessioned railway connected with Congolese National Railway, Tazara, and National Railways of Zimbabwe, and was a key part of the Cape gauge network serving southern Africa. The railway also served the copper belt of the southern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Zambia. The five year investment commitments were estimated at US$14.8 million. In 2007, the government repeatedly complained that RSZ had failed to properly run Zambia's rail lines since taking over management of the state-run Zambia Railways in 2003. Early 2008, Finance Minister Ng'andu Magande affirmed the government intended to cancel the Railway Systems of Zambia's rights to operate the African nation's railways because it had failed to improve their quality. Larsons General Contractors Limited was operating the Mulobezi Railway line as of 2012. In 2013, state-owned Zambia Railways said it planned to end the concession agreement with the Mulobezi Railway by the end of December. The project was canceled in 2006.(09/2006) I do not think so.