From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report.
Sashnee Moodley:
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 resolve them. Darren Parker has the story.
Darren Parker:
Among the many challenges facing Transnet Freight Rail, cable theft is the most problematic and prolific.
The state-owned rail operator is hoping to deter cable theft on its lines by systematically replacing its copper cables with alternatives. So far, about 55% of the copper cables across its national railway network have been replaced with an aluminium conductor steel reinforced (ACSR) cable called Tiger Wire.
The aluminium-based alternative cable is not as conductive as copper, but it is sufficient to keep the rail network operating
Transnet Freight Rail central corridor managing executive Mashudu Makatu…
Darren Parker:
Aside from cable theft, the rail operator is also plagued with a myriad of other problems, ranging from excessive litter on the lines, drainage issues, communities encroaching on the service roads, and widescale theft of electricity from illegal connections to the railway lines.
Transnet Freight Rail central corridor managing executive Mashudu Makatu…
Sashnee Moodley:
That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy. Don’t forget to listen to the audio version of our Engineering News daily email newsletter.