Amidst financial challenges, Namibia's national railway company, TransNamib, has demonstrated resilience, showcasing the enduring importance of railway transport in the country. 

The service reliability of TransNamib has been significantly affected by ageing and unreliable rolling stock.

Bertus Eksteen, TransNamib's Executive for Engineering and Technical Services, revealed this during a meeting with the Standing Committee on Economics and Public Accounts in Keetmanshoop.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has called on Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi to release the report of Ernst & Young into the operations of TransNamib as well as responses by the board and management to the report.

TransNamib's Corporate Communications Manager, Abigail Raubenheimer, has confirmed the derailment of a cargo train carrying manganese to the harbor town of Luderitz on Thursday night.

The derailment occurred between Aus and Luderitz.

A TransNamib train that was carrying 22 wagons of manganese was derailed this morning about 50 kilometers outside Luderitz in the ||Kharas Region.

TransNamib spokesperson Abigail Raubenheimer confirmed the derailment in a statement.

TransNamib on Thursday announced the resignation of its chief executive officer (CEO), Johny Smith, who joined the company five years ago.

To lessen the burden on road transportation to international markets, TransNamib says it is hard at work to prepare and equip itself to be able to move more of the freight volumes on the railway. 

TransNamib held a workshop to discuss institutional reform for the railway sector and the future of the state-owned enterprise.

Last year, TransNamib carried out an institutional reform study to help guide the company on what it needs to do with the railway sector over the next 10 to 15 years.