Transnet Engineering (TE) on Wednesday presented 25 fuel tanker wagons and 20 container wagons to Swaziland Railway.

The wagons, which cost R35-million, were delivered ahead of schedule and formed part of an order for 90 wagons, with the remaining 45 to be delivered in May.

TE had fast-tracked the development of prototypes for the two wagon types.

“With engineers that have extensive experience in rolling stock design, manufacturing and building, together with dedicated workers on the floor, TE achieved the design of a brand new skeletal container wagon, operating on a dual braking system, as well as fuel tanker wagon in line with Swaziland Railway’s requirements,” TE CEO Thamsanqa Jiyane said at a handover ceremony at TE’s wagon factory, in Germiston, on Wednesday.

He noted that it usually took around three months build one prototype wagon.

“In this instance, however, the manufacturing and design process was completed within two weeks, which enabled TE to go into mass production immediately after the prototype was approved,” he said.

Jiyane further noted that TE was in the process of implementing its Transnet Africa Strategy, which was intended to integrate South Africa with the Southern African Development Community through the promotion of regional rail connectivity.

“The manufacturing and supply of a modernised and standardised rolling stock fleet capable of seamless flows across [African] borders by TE will further ignite economic growth and facilitate intra-African trade,” he commented.

He added that TE had put plans in place to start marketing itself internationally and those plans had already started to bare fruit.

“The next rail renaissance is going to be in Africa, especially when it comes to rolling stock and railway lines, and we feel that we stand a good chance of benefiting from this,” he concluded.