[Marxism] Zimbabwe brings steam engines back

["Charles Brown" <cbrown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Hindu

Saturday, Oct 01, 2005

Zimbabwe brings steam engines back

PRETORIA: Zimbabwe has announced it is moving back into the steam age by
re-commissioning 10 coal-fired locomotives to cope with the economic crisis.
Further indications of shortages came from hospitals, which are turning away
patients because they do not have basic medicines and surgical equipment. In
the courts, state witnesses said they were too weak from hunger to testify.

The announcement that steam engines would be put back into service was made
by Fanuel Masikati, a spokesman for the state-owned National Railways of
Zimbabwe, which has been plagued by breakdowns and cancellations due to fuel
shortages. Mr. Masikati told the Government-controlled Herald newspaper that
lack of foreign currency prevented the railway from importing fuel and spare
parts for the diesel engines. The country has abundant coal and basic
components to keep the steam engines running.

In another example of reverting to old technology, Zimbabwe has begun using
ambulances pulled by cattle in rural areas because there is no fuel for
motor vehicles. The country's hospitals admitted on Wednesday that they
could not test patients for HIV infection because of a lack of laboratory
chemicals.

- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005

Copyright C 2005, The Hindu.



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