Rail traffic in Zaire has come to a halt, with Laurent Kabilas rebels forming a new company to take control of the network, South African state-owned railway Spoornet said on Wednesday. Reuter
Spoornet, joint operators of Sizarail railway in eastern and southern Zaire, said Kabilas rebels had formed National Railways of the Congo (CNCC) to take over rail operations in the copper mining capital of Lubumbashi.
Sizarail came to a halt in the last day or two and the alliance asked CNCC to be the official railways and run the railways in Zaire, Spoornet spokesman Johan Hugo said.
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Sizarail based in Lubumbashi was 51 percent owned by a joint venture between Spoornet and Belgiums Transurb. The remaining 49 percent was was held by Zairean banks and businesses including state mining companies Gecamines and MIBA.
Sizarail resurrected the countrys badly-neglected railway network when it started up in 1995. It reopened vital supply lines to southern Africa for Zaires economy, dependent on diamond and copper mines.
Hugo said Spoornets rolling stock in Zaire was safe.
They are safe under the security of Zaire authorities. They are all in the Lubumbashi area. Our rolling stock is safe.
The railway stock comprised 10 locomotives worth around 25 million rand ($5.61 million), 20 railway trucks and 20 passenger carriages.
Hugo said the rebels had expelled Sizarails managing director, Patrick Claes, from the country.
The alliance asked him to leave. They apparently appointed a new managing director, said.
The rebels had requested a meeting with Spoornet which will take place within two weeks.
The AFDL has asked for a meeting with Spoornet soon. In two weeks time things will take shape again. But at this stage there is no rail traffic in Zaire or crossing the border, Hugo said.
Claes said last month that the Sizarail consortium had made $1 million profit in the year to June 30, 1996, the first full year of operation, on a turnover of $66 million.
Kabilas forces say they are less than 85 km from Kinshasa and have appealed for government troops to surrender to avoid a bloody takeover of the capital. Diplomatic sources say the front line is more like 200 km from Kinshasa.
Zaires embattled President Mobutu left for Libreville in nearby Gabon on Wednesday for an African summit, beginning what many residents of the capital thought might be a flight into exile.