ZIMBABWE-SOUTH AFRICA: New railway link

A new railway link between South Africa and Zimbabwe, shortening the journey time from the Beit Bridge border to Bulawayo, is to open next month, sources in the South African rail parastatal Spoornet told IRIN on Friday. "The Beit Bridge-Bulawayo Railway line (BBR) will make access between South Africa and Zimbabwe quicker and more efficient," the sources said. "Instead of going via Gweru, the new line proceeds from Beit Bridge directly to Bulawayo, taking more than 200 kms off the distance between the two towns." The chief executive of BBR, a private initiative by South African investors, told IRIN the work on the line started 18 months ago and has cost US $70 million. "The line will be commissioned on 15 July and we already have confirmed orders of over one million metric tons of freight to be transported through this new link," Eitan Dvir told IRIN. A Spoornet official said the shortened distance will benefit trade between South Africa and Zimbabwe: "The retail prices of commodities being transported between the two countries will be more affordable for consumers because of the reduced transportation costs." But he added that Botswana has raised concern over the effect the new rail link will have on its trade with Zimbabwe. "It is going to be cost-effective for the heartland of Gauteng province to use the new rail link rather than the one going through Botswana via Plumtree and eventually to Bulawayo," the official pointed out.