Minister Joel Kaapanda was replying to questions posed by CoD Member of Parliament Nora Schimming-Chase at the end of last week.

"The locomotives were bought at a price of US$900 000 each and their warranty was for one year," Kaapanda said.

Schimming-Chase also asked if it was true that the locomotives' brake system was out of order and whether cracks on the bases of their engines could be repaired.

Two locomotives reportedly crashed into each other at the Windhoek station in June.

An internal TransNamib report allegedly declared the four Chinese locomotives "unsafe".

"There are no cracks on the engines of locomotives in question.

Any after-sale problems have been attended to and will be addressed by the TransNamib maintenance team, which is unequalled in the SADC region," Kaapanda said.

"That is why the team has been able to maintain locomotives for over 40 years.

TransNamib has 47 locomotives that are over 40 years old and are still running due to excellent maintenance skills and infrastructure in (the) TransNamib establishment."

He added that he was unaware of any high-level technical investigation that "declared the Chinese locomotives a life-threatening risk".

"Such insinuations in the media are unfortunate.

They appear to be a desperate attempt by certain individuals to confuse the public that China cannot produce anything of quality," Kaapanda claimed.

Schimming-Chase also wanted to know if plans to start a Chinese locomotive and rolling stock assembly plant at Usakos had been shelved.

"There was no locomotive assembly plant of a Chinese company planned for Usakos, therefore nothing was put on ice and the question is irrelevant," Kaapanda replied.

However, former TransNamib board chairperson Dr Klaus Dierks unveiled plans in 2002 for such a plant at Usakos, albeit not specifically run by the Chinese.

Namibia and China signed a N$204 million loan agreement during a state visit by President Hifikepunye Pohamba in December to buy 17 more locomotives.

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