By Dorrothy Moyo | Harare | April 21, 2025
The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has been accused of misleading the public about its involvement in the operations of the Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway (BBR), following the devastating train collision with a Rovos Rail luxury passenger train on Good Friday.
In a statement issued on April 19, NRZ claimed that both BBR and Rovos Rail are “private companies that operate independently of the NRZ,” and stated that the railway line where the collision occurred is “privately owned,” thereby absolving itself of operational responsibility. However, official documents reviewed by this publication show that the Government of Zimbabwe, through NRZ, owns a 15 percent stake in BBR — a significant shareholding that contradicts NRZ’s claim of full detachment.
BBR is operated under NLPI Limited, a consortium of foreign and regional financial institutions including Nedbank (SA), Old Mutual (SA), NLB (Mauritius), and Grindrod (SA). NLPI holds an 85 percent stake, while NRZ — acting on behalf of the state — retains a 15 percent interest.
The head-on collision occurred at approximately 7:00 AM on April 18, near Hantinya Village outside Gwanda. The incident left 18 people injured, including several Rovos Rail crew members and an American tourist who underwent emergency spinal surgery. One Rovos coach overturned, another veered off into nearby bushland, and a third collided with the coach ahead. Rescue crews spent over two hours extricating one of the trapped victims.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi, who visited the accident scene and the injured passengers in hospital, emphasized the significance of the Rovos Rail service to Zimbabwe’s international tourism strategy. The luxury train had been en route from Pretoria to Victoria Falls, carrying tourists from countries including the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Denmark, and the United Kingdom.
Minister Rwodzi said that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had expressed deep concern over the accident and directed that government departments offer full support to Rovos Rail and its passengers. She also underscored the need to restore the service as quickly as possible, calling it “a key part of Zimbabwe’s tourism and diplomatic outreach.”
Despite these reassurances, NRZ’s statement has triggered widespread concern among railway safety experts and governance analysts, who argue that NRZ cannot reasonably deny responsibility when it maintains a direct financial and institutional interest in BBR.
“This is not simply a matter of semantics,” said one regional transport analyst. “If NRZ is a shareholder, it has an obligation to ensure safety, operational integrity, and proper oversight — especially on a line that is critical to both freight logistics and international tourism.”
The collision has raised further questions about the state of railway infrastructure, signalling systems, and coordination mechanisms between private operators and public agencies. A full investigation into the causes of the accident is now underway, led by the Government in conjunction with technical experts.
The findings are expected to address both mechanical factors and institutional failures, with potential implications for the future of public-private partnerships in Zimbabwe’s transport sector.
As the government moves to repair the damaged rail line and restore confidence among international travellers, pressure is mounting for transparency, accountability — and a clear reassessment of how railways are governed in the country.