The coronavirus requires that companies and organisations come together to minimize its deadly effects. Partnerships and collaborations are important in many ways. They are good for keeping vulnerable companies afloat, especially during this time when businesses struggle to weather the Covid-19 storm. Also, partnerships are key in the revival of companies that have been struggling for long, even before the coronavirus pandemic.
Recently, the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) partnered with ZIMASCO and hired two locomotives from South Africa to help transport chrome ore from Mutorashanga.
And this is a step in the right direction for the struggling goods and passenger company. This, however, is not to say this partnership will get NRZ out of the woods and immediately fix its financial problems. The spirt of collaboration is what is commendable. More collaborations with local mining companies are required for NRZ to regain its status as a reliable and affordable bulk goods transporter in Zimbabwe. But the question is: does NRZ have the capacity to handle business should more mining companies play ball?Small-scale and artisanal miners that operate on Freda Rebecca Mine claims, in Manicaland and Mashonaland, must have welcomed the mine’s partnership with a local bank, CBZ. The two organisations came together to take advantage of CBZ’s wide branch network as some branches will operate as gold buying and handling centres. Such kind of a partnership cannot be ignored because it will give easy access to small-scale and artisanal miners to buying the centres.Partnerships and collaborations among small organisations are even more important- they know each other’s struggles. Thumbs up to the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF)
for helping some companies get exemption status as essential providers. For example, Appropriate Technology Africa (ATA) is still in business during these hard times owing to assistance it received from ZMF and Fidelity. It would have been a bitter pill to swallow,
