Chinese Investor Builds Durawall Across Railway Line In Harare 

The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) says a wall built across a railway line in Harare’s Willowvale industrial area is on a line that’s no longer in use.

The wall, which sparked a wave of reactions on social media over the weekend, was built by a Chinese national only identified as Ms Li.

Images of the structure quickly went viral, prompting questions about whether railway infrastructure was being illegally blocked.

In a statement issued on Monday, 19 May, the NRZ asserted that the wall wasn’t put up on an active line, but rather on a disused, privately-owned siding. Reads the statement:

Over the past weekend, the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) was inundated with inquiries regarding a security wall built on a railway line, whose pictures went viral on social media. We hereby wish to set the record straight and lay the facts bare.

The NRZ went on a fact-finding mission and established that the structure in question was built on top of a disused, privately-owned siding leading to a now defunct factory which is currently being demolished after the property was bought by a Chinese-owned company last year. These sidings are owned by private Companies that require goods to be railed to their premises from our yards.

The wall was built to secure the property located on 44 Tilbury Rd in the Willowvale industrial area of Harare. Our team managed to speak to a director at the company identified as Ms Li, who said they built the security wall to prevent thieves from accessing their newly acquired property.

So, effectively, the NRZ does not have any mandate over the disused line but understands that the City of Harare is looking into the matter.