The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mozambican Railways (CFM) said last Tuesday, 31 December, that the company will need an investment of around 632 million meticals (10 million dollars) to restore the vandalised railway infrastructure.
According to the Mozambican Information Agency, Agostinho Langa was speaking during a visit by Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi to the Moamba district to assess the level of damage caused by the violent demonstrations. ‘In the survey done to date, we’re already at around 632 million meticals (10 million dollars).’
The official pointed to the Tenga and Matola Gare stations as clear examples of vandalisation. ‘In addition to the line we had set up, we now have to restore the Tenga station, which was set on fire, the communication system vandalised, and also restore the Matola Gare station which, fortunately, was only vandalised, but everything around it was burnt down,’ he explained, noting: ’In addition to these two stations, Catema, on the Sena line, was also set on fire, as was the bridge over Missito.’
For Agostinho Langa, restoring the railway lines is not a difficult task, and only two days of tranquillity are needed. ‘If they give us two days of peace, we’ll repair all the damage done, especially to the railway line.’
Unlike the railway lines, the replacement of the railway stations will not be an easy task as they are conditioned. ‘On the stations, we’ll need some time, because there’s also electronic equipment that has been burnt out and, at some point, it will be necessary to import it for replacement,’ he added.
Filipe Nyusi’s visit
He also explained that the equipment needed for these replacements will have to be imported from neighbouring South Africa, which has companies closed for the holidays, so ‘we’ll have to wait’.
Even so, the chairman of the CFM Board of Directors reassured the population: ‘These vandalisations are not an impediment to the movement of trains, although there is a lack of safety because we will be transporting heavy wagons, which could endanger traffic.’
Langa explained that the reasons for paralysing the movement of trains at some points, and those that are still running, are part of CFM’s social responsibility.
‘We practically run the passenger train at a cost equivalent to 15 per cent of what the tickets should cost. In other words, we’re doing it almost ‘for free’, compared to semi-collective passenger transport, which costs five times more than the train ticket.’
