The southern railway network of the state-owned company Portos e Caminhos-de-Ferro de Moçambique (CFM) has accumulated losses of $2 million (MZN 126.4 million) this year due to theft and vandalism of infrastructure. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the Forum on Prevention and Combat of Vandalism of Public Infrastructure.
“We are only looking at the material stolen, but the costs we end up incurring due to train stoppages and derailments caused by these situations can reach around $2 million,” said Arnaldo Manjate, Director of Railway Operations for CFM-South.
According to Arnaldo Manjate, this year alone, equipment and devices on the railway line that were stolen or vandalized, including track switching systems, cost the company $78,200 (MZN 5 million). Some of the damage resulted from stones being thrown at locomotives. The official explained that the southern region of CFM has also suffered from the theft of rails, metal sleepers, and other materials, which are later sold to scrap dealers. These thefts cause derailments and require the replacement of damaged infrastructure.
“We have suffered a lot on our railway lines because there are many thefts, mainly of fastening elements for scrap sale. This has a negative impact, as derailments occur immediately afterwards, and we are forced to replace infrastructure at the affected points,” said Arnaldo Manjate.
Mozambique’s railway network is divided into three zones—south, center, and north—which are not directly connected but link the country to neighbors such as South Africa, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe, reinforcing the strategic importance of maintaining the lines.
In 2024, CFM trains transported 6.8 million passengers on the central and southern systems, nearly half a million above projections and 3% more than in 2023, according to official data cited by Lusa. Operational results rose 55% to almost $41.1 million (MZN 2.5 billion), with over 7 million passengers transported.
The Mozambican government announced plans to invest nearly $225 million (MZN 12 billion) by 2030 in doubling railway lines, acquiring carriages, locomotives, and wagons. The plan includes completing the duplication of 25 kilometers of the Ressano Garcia line, purchasing over 30 carriages and 15 locomotives, and acquiring 250 wagons for transporting minerals and passengers.
Source: Diário Económico
