Transport | Rail | Passenger

https://staging1.creamermedia.com/

Advertise on this page? Click Here to Learn More

Rail News

SIU gets green light from Ramaphosa to investigate Home Affairs, PRASA

By: Sashnee Moodley 20th February 2024 The Special Investigating Unit is set to probe maladministration at Home Affairs and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa following proclamations signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The investigations at Home Affairs relate to the issuing of permits, visas and citizenship and will span 20... →

S Africa’s infrastructure at a crossroads – council

By: Lumkile Nkomfe 16th February 2024 Industry body Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) has emphasised the significance of maintenance as a proactive measure against further decay of South Africa’s infrastructure. The council acknowledges the existing challenges facing the country but is optimistic about addressing them to... →

BRIDGET SSAMULA Many countries rely on the private sector to kickstart projects because these companies have done the research and built the prototypes, whereas with government, you have to wait for a more economic design solution that can be implemented at mass scale to push the developmental agenda

Critical infrastructure blackouts top business risk in SA – Allianz

16th February 2024 For the second consecutive year, international financial services provider Allianz’s Risk Barometer indicates that critical infrastructure blackouts, attributed to power outages and the failure of ports, railways and roads, pose the greatest risk for businesses operating in South Africa. The... →

EIB in talks with South Africa over loan for ports, freight rail

By: Bloomberg 15th February 2024 The European Investment Bank (EIB) said it’s in talks to loan South Africa money to upgrade its port and freight-rail infrastructure as its first contribution to a decarbonization pact known as the Just Energy Transition Partnership. The loan, the size of which the EIB didn’t disclose, is part of... →

Locomotives owned by Transnet Freight Rail

Subdued growth expected in transport sector; more freight going to Maputo – Ctrack index

By: Irma Venter 14th February 2024 The Ctrack Transport and Freight Index (Ctrack TFI) forecasts “another year of fairly subdued growth for the transport sector”. This is based on the assumption of mediocre economic growth in South Africa this year, forecast at 1.3%, up from 2023’s estimated 0.6%. →

HPX, Liberian govt, Guma sign letter of intent to develop Liberty Corridor

By: Sabrina Jardim 12th February 2024 US-based mineral exploration and development company High Power Exploration (HPX), which is backed by Ivanhoe Mines co-chairperson Robert Friedland, has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with the Liberian government and pan-African diversified investment and operations group Guma Africa Group to... →

Ivanhoe Mines co-chairperson Robert Friedland

DFC announces new financing for Lobito Corridor

By: Sabrina Jardim 9th February 2024 US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) deputy CEO Nisha Biswal has announced new financing in support of the Lobito Corridor, which extends across Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), at this year’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment’s... →

Business stakeholders find ‘election-oriented’ SoNA wanting

By: Marleny Arnoldi 9th February 2024 Business stakeholders agree that President Cyril Ramphosa was right to emphasise economic reforms in his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on February 8, as these are critical to turning around the country’s dire economic performance and unemployment. Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), for... →

South Africa's electricity and logistics crises remain a concern for business

Loadshedding, logistics, water crises key themes of SoNA 2024

By: Creamer Media Reporter 9th February 2024 Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses some of the key themes that emerged during President Cyril Ramaphosa's final State of the Nation Address of the current administration and how these affect the economy and business. →

Loadshedding, logistics, water crises key themes of SoNA 2024

Transnet needs ‘the right, permanent management, quickly’ – Stellenbosch University academic

By: Irma Venter 9th February 2024 State-owned rail and port operator Transnet could, potentially, show significant improvement this year, compared with last year’s dismal performance, says transport economist and macrologistics researcher at Stellenbosch University Dr Jan Havenga. However, it is imperative that Public... →

Ramaphosa moots ‘innovative investment models’ for grid as he reiterates support for power and logistics reform

By: Terence Creamer 8th February 2024 President Cyril Ramaphosa used his final State of the Nation Address ahead of upcoming elections to reiterate government’s commitment to reforms in the country’s failing power and logistics sectors, including one that would open the electricity transmission sector to private investors. Speaking... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

AMSA sees plausible pathway for salvaging longs unit, but ready to reverse closure deferral if urgent progress is not made

By: Terence Creamer 8th February 2024 Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has deferred the wind-down of its long-products business by six months amid widespread concern regarding the detrimental impact of the closure on downstream industry and jobs and following consultations with government and other affected... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
ArcelorMittal South Africa CEO Kobus Verster

AMSA announces six-month deferral to longs closure after agreements on short-term measures

By: Terence Creamer 8th February 2024 Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has deferred the wind down of its long-products business by six months amid widespread concern regarding the detrimental impact of the closure on downstream industry and jobs and following consultations with government and other affected... →

Hill-Lewis urges Ramaphosa to fast-track devolution of rail, policing powers to deal with crises

By: Sashnee Moodley 6th February 2024 Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis is looking to President Cyril Ramaphosa for answers on the delay of the national Rail Devolution Strategy, which could save lower-income families R932-million every year. Hill-Lewis pointed out that Ramaphosa had promised that the strategy would be out in 2023,... →

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis

Transnet receives locomotive batteries through RBCT partnership

By: Schalk Burger 6th February 2024 State-owned Transnet has taken delivery of seven full sets of batteries procured by the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT). The delivery of these critical spares will improve the reliability of Transnet Freight Rail's available locomotive fleet. The Transnet Recovery Plan, which seeks to improve... →

We are turning ports around, but it will take time – Ramaphosa

By: Sashnee Moodley 5th February 2024 While the recently launched African Continental Free Trade Area will provide advantages for South African companies, the efficiency and competitiveness of the country’s logistics architecture needs to improve, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured will happen. In his weekly letter to the... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Clear commitment to reform implementation needed in SoNA – Mavuso

By: Schalk Burger 5th February 2024 Business organisation Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to show a clear commitment to the hard work of reform implementation during his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Thursday evening. South Africa's electricity crisis remains a... →

Locomotives operating on Transnet Freight Rail's rail lines

Transnet says rail volumes recovered slightly in the last quarter of 2023

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 2nd February 2024 Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) says it experienced an improvement in rail volumes in the last quarter of the 2023 calendar year, as the implementation of Transnet’s recovery plan got under way. The quarterly rate of delivery to the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) increased from 47.10-million... →

New Gautrain CEO starts steering strategic expansions

By: Marleny Arnoldi 1st February 2024 Gautrain Management Agency CEO Tshepo Kgobe has assumed his role as of February 1, following the company’s announcement to this effect in September last year. He previously served as COO of Gautrain since 2020 and has diverse technical expertise in infrastructure, energy, mining and rail.... →

Freight forwarders note some progress in tackling logistics crisis, but call for intensification of collaborative efforts

By: Terence Creamer 1st February 2024 The CEO of the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) believes progress is being made in navigating the ‘perfect storm’ of South Africa’s current logistics crisis, which is strangling trade and investment. However, Dr Juanita Maree argues that there is still a pressing need to... →

Dr Juanita Maree

Global economic growth expected to stagnate this year

By: Darren Parker 30th January 2024 Global economic growth is expected to be subdued, if not stagnant this year, with global trade also expected to be sluggish, financial services provider Investec reports. According to the World Bank, global trade growth for this year is expected to be only half the average growth achieved in the... →

Investec logistics head Denys Hobson

Transnet needs ‘the right, permanent management, quickly’ – Havenga

By: Irma Venter 29th January 2024 State-owned rail and port operator Transnet could, potentially, show significant improvement this year compared with last year’s dismal performance, says transport economist and macrologistics researcher at Stellenbosch University Dr Jan Havenga. However, it is imperative that Public Enterprises... →

Jan Havenga

Government's new plan to shift cargo from roads back to rail

By: News24Wire 26th January 2024 Government is seeking to finalise a plan aimed at improving its rail network and move cargo away from its overburdened roads. While the economy loses a billion rand per day to its logistics crises, government has said an urgent turnaround is needed to improve its 31 000km locomotive network as... →

Dedicated freight lanes and restricted truck operating hours mooted in draft plan to shift cargo back to rail

By: Terence Creamer 25th January 2024 The Department of Transport (DoT) is canvasing as series of interventions aimed at attracting freight back to South Africa’s struggling rail system from road, which has emerged as the country’s freight backbone following Transnet Freight Rail’s (TFR’s) precipitous decline in recent years.... →

South Africa must build renewable energy momentum, and then move on to other sectors – Mavuso

By: Schalk Burger 22nd January 2024 The rapid pace at which South Africa is building renewable energy projects, driven by private sector investment, is viewed as positive in the global context, including at the recently held World Economic Forum's (WEF's) yearly Davos meeting, said business organisation Business Leadership South... →

BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso

Transnet partially restores service on coal export line

By: Reuters 19th January 2024 South African freight rail operator Transnet said late Thursday it resumed partial service on the line connecting to the country's main coal export terminal, four days after two trains collided and blocked the tracks. The first line leading to the Richards Bay coal terminal was declared safe for... →

Coal being transported on South Africa's railway

Transnet plans to partially reopen coal line after derailment

By: Reuters 18th January 2024 South African freight rail operator Transnet plans to reopen the first of two coal lines to the country's major coal export terminal on Thursday after it was blocked following a train collision last weekend, the company said on Wednesday. The second line is expected to be operational by Saturday,... →

RFA urges investigation into outdated TFR systems following derailment

By: Schalk Burger 17th January 2024 Industry organisation the Road Freight Association (RFA) says the collision of two coal trains on the Richards Bay ore line at the weekend underscores the vulnerability of the multi-ore line owing to the inherent risks of outdated manual systems and poor operational control. The derailment will... →

RFA CEO Gavin Kelly

Recovery efforts under way following derailment of two trains near Richards Bay

By: Schalk Burger 16th January 2024 State-owned Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) is busy with recovery efforts after a derailment in which two trains collided in the early hours of January 14 at Elubana, outside Richards Bay, in KwaZulu-Natal. TFR teams were dispatched to the scene immediately and started recovery efforts. No serious... →

Richards Bay Bulk Terminal conveyor repairs remove 400 coal trucks from roads

By: Darren Parker 10th January 2024 One of three conveyor belts damaged in the October 2021 fires has returned to full operation at the Richards Bay Bulk Terminal, in KwaZulu-Natal, and will prioritise the handling of coal exports. This will facilitate more than 400 coal trucks being removed from the road, as the 2.2-km long... →

new conveyor at Richards Bay Bulk Terminal

Transnet Freight Rail highlights challenges and plans to address them

10th January 2024 Transnet Freight Rail is facing a wide array of challenges undermining its ability to operate, ranging from cable theft to community-related challenges. The struggling rail operator recently took Engineering News on one of its trains to show us the extent of its challenges and what it is doing to... →

Transnet Freight Rail highlights challenges and plans to address them

Crumbling South African rail prompts Botswana to forge new route

By: Bloomberg 19th December 2023 Botswana has received unsolicited bids from investors to build a rail line to a Namibian port that will help avoid South Africa and its disintegrating logistics network. The 1 500 km Trans-Kalahari Railway project is gathering momentum as Transnet, the State rail and ports monopoly in Botswana’s... →

Coal shipments on Transnet freight-rail network have plunged to 30-year lows and iron-ore railings are at their lowest in a decade

Photo by Bloomberg
Coal shipments on Transnet freight-rail network have plunged to 30-year lows and iron-ore railings are at their lowest in a decade

Transnet halts plan to allow private companies to operate key rail line

By: Bloomberg 14th December 2023 State-owned ports and rail company Transnet withdrew a request for quotes for an operating lease on a freight-rail artery that connects its biggest port with its industrial hub, because changes in the nation’s transport policy have affected the scope of the project. Transnet first issued the call... →

South Africa aims to fire up economic growth with port, rail revival

By: Bloomberg 13th December 2023 South Africa’s government and the business community set a target of boosting the economic growth rate by as much as six percentage points by fixing the country’s collapsing ports and freight-rail network. They predict that cracking down on crime and corruption may save as much as 300 billion... →

PRASA to brief Parliament’s transport committee early next year on its challenges

By: Rebecca Campbell 12th December 2023 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) will account to, and provide a briefing for, Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Transport, regarding the challenges faced by the Shosholoza Meyl long-distance passenger service. So assured committee chairperson Mina Lesoma in a statement released... →

Researchers report that space weather events could endanger railway safety

By: Rebecca Campbell 12th December 2023 Researchers at the University of Lancaster in the UK have determined that significant space weather events could interfere with railway signalling systems at sea level, on Earth, thereby creating safety risks and even causing accidents. Severe space weather events could create what are called... →

Passage of NHI Bill would spell disaster for the health sector – BLSA

By: Darren Parker 11th December 2023 Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso has warned of the deteriorating health sector without the prospect of recovery, owing in large part to the passage last week of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill into law, barring the assent of President Cyril Ramaphosa. In her weekly... →

About

Engineering News is a product of Creamer Media.
www.creamermedia.co.za

Other Creamer Media Products include:
Mining Weekly
Research Channel Africa
Polity

Newsletters

Sign up for our FREE daily email newsletter

Receive daily sector news alerts

More

Subscriptions

We offer a variety of subscriptions to our Magazine, Website, PDF Reports and our photo library.

Subscriptions are available via the Creamer Media Store.

View store

Advertise

Advertising on Engineering News is an effective way to build and consolidate a company's profile among clients and prospective clients. Email advertising@creamermedia.co.za

View options

Subscribe