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Rail News

Transnet revamps security as crime hobbles trains

By: Bloomberg 23rd August 2023 State-owned rail network operator Transnet has hired five private security companies in an effort to reduce chronic theft and vandalism of trains that disrupt its operations. Transnet said it was responding to changing criminal trends through the plan, which holds the security service providers... →

Transnet CEO fears major job losses in trucking industry after road demand fades

By: Bloomberg 17th August 2023 South Africa’s surge in trucking that’s emerged largely due to higher coal prices and train bottlenecks may lead to catastrophic job losses in the road transport sector when factors ease, according to the head of the state-owned port and rail company. The logistic problems faced by Transnet —... →

Transnet Portia Derby

Rail industry body calls for independent infrastructure manager

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 16th August 2023 The imminent announcement of an infrastructure manager (IM) to oversee the implementation of the National Rail Policy is an important step in the revitalisation of South Africa’s freight rail future, but unless this IM is independent and impartial, rail reform is “doomed”, warns industry body the... →

Mesela Kope-Nhlapo

Transnet embarks on procurement digitisation journey

By: Cameron Mackay 11th August 2023 State-owned Transnet has approached the market for the provision of an automated end-to-end procurement system. This comes as the organisation moves to optimise its procurement of goods and services, improve the speed and agility of procurement decisions and foster stronger supplier relationships. →

Photo by Creamer Media
The project is a milestone in Transnet’s transformation into an agile, data-driven, and customer-centric organisation

Global demand for coal is bringing mayhem to South African towns

By: Bloomberg 1st August 2023 An often impenetrable logjam of trucks laden with coal at South Africa’s crossing with Mozambique has brought chaos to a sleepy border town. Elephants escaping from the nearby Kruger National Park often caused the biggest commotion in Komatipoort. These days residents check their CCTV cameras on... →

Botswana, South Africa seek funds for $230m minerals line

By: Bloomberg 31st July 2023 State-owned rail companies from Botswana and South Africa are seeking funding for a three-billion pula ($230-million) railway line between the two countries to transport commodities including coal. The Mmamabula-Lephalale link will run 113 km and have a capacity of 24-million tons a year. It will... →

BLSA’s Mavuso sees some improvement on the national logistics front

By: Marleny Arnoldi 31st July 2023 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso says the concerted effort that business, government and many within State-owned freight utility Transnet have made to fix the outlook of logistics in the country is starting to have some effect. She mentions the new Transnet board having... →

Partners introduce Li-ion solutions

28th July 2023 Swiss low-carbon, lithium-ion (Li-ion) cell-based energy storage solutions provider Leclanché and India-based research and development focused railway products developer Medha Group have formed a partnership in the railroad and commercial markets, with Leclanchè providing high-energy battery... →

Universal locos approved in European Corridor

28th July 2023 Global provider of integrated urban solutions with over 50 years of experience, Alstom, and leasing provider and asset manager of rolling stock in Europe, Northrail AG have completed a framework contract for 50 multi-system Traxx Universal locomotives with a full-service maintenance package for... →

Firm invests in second plant

28th July 2023 Integrated urban solutions provider Alstom is driving the expansion of the rail industry in Morocco by investing 160-million dirhams to construct a second rail plant, which will make driving cabs for regional and underground railway trains. This investment will aid in the creation of 200 direct... →

New high-speed trains more environment-friendly

28th July 2023 High-speed train consortium Hitachi Toshiba Supreme Consortium (HTSC) – which comprises digital and mobility solutions provider Hitachi, and industrial solutions provider Toshiba Corporation and its social infrastructure subsidiary Toshiba Infrastructure Systems and Solutions Corporation – has... →

Supplier protects inner mechanisms

28th July 2023 Local lubricants supplier Lubrication Engineers (LE) South Africa is celebrating 15 years of supplying its Pyroshield 9000 Synthetic Open Gear Lubricant to a major freight rail company in South Africa. The customer had tested 38 other products to compare their performance on its locomotives, but... →

In-cab signalling needed in Africa

28th July 2023 Local investor in new rolling stock and track infrastructure projects, and rail solutions provider, Traxtion CEO James Holley and solutions provider Gear Rail CEO Roelf C Alberts suggest the “speedy implementation of in-cab signalling on Africa’s railroads” to improve safety on African railways.... →

A new age of fully automated monorail

28th July 2023 Global provider of integrated urban solutions Alstom will be delivering the system for Bangkok’s Metropolitan Rapid Transit Pink Line, which is expected to enter service in 2024. This follows Alstom having been awarded the contract to supply the turnkey Innovia monorail system for the Eastern... →

Firm starts moving to fully electric locomotives

28th July 2023 Australia’s largest rail freight operator, ASX-listed company Aurizon, has been in contact with a Caterpillar company in rail technology solutions, Progress Rail, to undertake an innovative project. Progress Rail will be retrofitting one of Aurizon’s existing 4000-class diesel locomotives.... →

DTIC aims to improve awareness on AfCFTA through outreach programme

By: Darren Parker 25th July 2023 The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has embarked on provincial outreach and awareness workshops in collaboration with provincial governments, wherein it hopes to have engaged all provinces on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by the end of July. The DTIC is... →

Three consortia selected to bid for greenfield Boegoebaai port and rail project

By: Terence Creamer 25th July 2023 South Africa’s State-owned Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has shortlisted three consortia to participate in an upcoming bidding process to design, fund and construct a greenfield deep-water port at Boegoebaai in the Northern Cape, as well as rail infrastructure linking the port to mines... →

IFC ready to support private grid investment in South Africa

By: Terence Creamer 25th July 2023 The World Bank’s private sector financier, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has indicated a willingness to fund public–private partnerships (PPPs) aimed at expanding and strengthening South Africa’s transmission infrastructure. IFC VP for Africa Sérgio Pimenta tells Engineering News... →

IFC VP for Africa Sérgio Pimenta

Resolving locomotive supply impasse with Chinese firm crucial, says TFR CEO

By: Cameron Mackay 18th July 2023 It is crucial that State-owned freight rail operator Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) find a solution to its long-standing locomotive supply impasse with Chinese manufacturer CRRC, TFR CEO Siza Mzimela told delegates at the 2023 Coal & Energy Transition Day, on July 18. Outlining the various... →

PRASA undertaking recovery programme

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 14th July 2023 Passenger rail operator the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has changed its approach to build from the ground up and is implementing a five-point plan as part of its recovery efforts, Gauteng regional operations manager Abram Siliki Nkgabutle has outlined. Speaking on the second day... →

An image showing PRASA Gauteng regional operations manager Abram Siliki Nkgabutle

PRASA Gauteng regional operations manager Abram Siliki Nkgabutle outlines how the entity is approaching its recovery programme.

US agency sees Lobito rail corridor helping to diversify critical minerals supply chains

By: Terence Creamer 12th July 2023 US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) CEO Scott Nathan has reiterated the American government’s interest in helping to finance the Lobito rail corridor, linking the copper and cobalt mining regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia to Angola’s Lobito port.... →

New Transnet board named as the country faces logistics snarls

By: Bloomberg 11th July 2023 South Africa revamped the board of the state-owned ports and rail operator, appointing a former mining executive as its new chairman as it seeks to improve inefficient infrastructure that major exporters say constrains business. The government appointed Andile Sangqu, a former vice president of... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Andile Sangqu

Dept moves towards implementation of Green Transport Strategy

By: Cameron Mackay 11th July 2023 Department of Transport (DoT) research and development chief director Themba Tenza has confirmed that the department is moving towards implementation of its Green Transport Strategy (GTS), which commits the country to significantly reducing greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions in the economy. “Our... →

Transport sector has role to play in sustainable economies – Chikunga

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 10th July 2023 The transport sector is not untouched by climate change and also has considerably high negative externalities, and this necessitates innovative thinking around the opportunities to renavigate transport systems towards greater resilience and becoming a true enabler of sustainable economies. This... →

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga

Parliamentary committee calls on dept not to delay PRASA leadership stabilisation

By: Schalk Burger 10th July 2023 The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport chairperson Minah Lesoma has urged the Department of Transport not to prolong the process of stabilising leadership at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). Former chairperson Leornard Ramatlakane’s release from his duties means that... →

SA’s logistics chain in ‘desperate’ need of PPPs – SAAFF

By: Irma Venter 7th July 2023 Port and rail parastatal Transnet and government cannot “go it alone” to repair South Africa’s strained logistics network, says South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) CEO Dr Juanita Maree. “Our current ports and rail model is, at best, archaic, compared to international... →

TFR completes Mamathwane crossing loop ahead of schedule

By: Darren Parker 6th July 2023 State-owned Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has announced the completion of the construction of the Mamathwane crossing loop, in the northern Cape, 30 days ahead of schedule. The completion of the loop is expected to unlock several other key projects, some of which will be announced in the coming... →

Numsa secures wage increase of 8% for Gautrain employees, travel perk retained

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 5th July 2023 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says it has secured an above-inflation wage increase of 8% across the board for all workers at Gautrain and that the staff card will remain in place, enabling Gautrain employees to travel to work and home on the high-speed rail network at... →

Trafigura-led group to spend $555m on Angola rail project

By: Bloomberg 5th July 2023 A group of investors led by commodity trader Trafigura Group plans to invest as much as $555-million in a railway project that will link the Angolan port of Lobito to neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. The consortium, known as Lobito Atlantic Railways, will spend $455-million on the... →

TPT, TFR partner with Maersk on Eastern Cape road-to-rail initiative

By: Darren Parker 4th July 2023 State-owned entities Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) have collaborated with shipping company Maersk to implement a road-to-rail initiative at the Eastern Cape Terminals during the citrus season. This joint effort is aimed at alleviating congestion at the Ngqura... →

Cape Town mayor asks President to form joint committee on ‘urgent’ rail devolution

By: Irma Venter 30th June 2023 Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to form a joint working committee with the city for “the urgent devolution” of passenger rail services to the metro. The service is currently operated by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, and transports about 2% of... →

Thieves threaten World Bank-funded South African coal rail project

By: Bloomberg 28th June 2023 A World Bank Group-funded effort to increase train access to a power plant in South Africa’s coal-rich region has started to significantly backslide as criminals target the country’s rail system. Development of a 68-kilometer route between Ermelo, east of Johannesburg, and Eskom Holdings’s Majuba... →

The Majuba power station

Cape Town welcomes transport DG's commitment to 2023 rail devolution

By: Schalk Burger 27th June 2023 Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has welcomed the commitment expressed by the national Department of Transport's director-general James Mlawua to gazette the National Land Transport Strategic Framework this year and that the devolution strategy would be a key feature of the framework. Mlawua... →

Exxaro's first-half export coal sales to fall 6% on logistics challenges, low prices

By: Chanel de Bruyn 27th June 2023 Diversified resources company Exxaro Resources expects to report a 6% decrease in export coal sales volumes to 2.51-million tonnes for the six months ended June 30, compared with 2.67-million tonnes for the six months ended December 31, 2022, as a result of Transnet Freight Rail's (TFR's) poor... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Exxaro FD Riaan Koppeschaar

Afreximbank, Ghana Railway to develop western railway corridor

By: Cameron Mackay 23rd June 2023 Pan-African financial institution the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and railway operator Ghana Railway have signed a project preparation facility head of terms agreement and pre-mandate letter to finance the development and implementation of an integrated 299 km standard gauge railway... →

Transnet Engineering secures contract to supply 80 wagons to DRC company

By: Creamer Media Reporter 20th June 2023 Engineering solutions provider Transnet Engineering (TE) has been awarded a contract to supply 80 wagons to Democratic Republic of Congo- (DRC-) based logistics and transport company SWALA International Logistics. This follows a site visit by SWALA executives to TE's Koedoespoort plant, where... →

High-speed rail operator unpacks diversification plans

By: Marleny Arnoldi 16th June 2023 For a high-speed commuter rail operator, such as Gautrain Management Agency, to remain commercially sustainable in the long term, it must consider multiple, new revenue streams. →

OFF-RAIL DIVERSIFICATION Gautrain has determined that more commercialisation efforts at its stations are needed, including mixed-use elements

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