Photo by: Duane Daws
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Operations along Transnet’s Richards Bay coal line (RBCL) have been suspended, owing to ongoing violent community protests across KwaZulu-Natal.
The State-owned company on Thursday said the step was taken to curb potential losses to the local economy, with Transnet working closely with customers to ensure minimal disruption.
“We have deployed security in the affected areas and are working with relevant authorities to safeguard our employees, infrastructure and the assets of our customers.”
The RBCL connects mines in Mpumalanga with the Richards Bay Coal Terminal at the Port of Richards Bay. The line also moves domestic commodities such as chrome, coke, chemicals and timber.
Transnet appealed to the protesting communities, who are dissatisfied about jobs and business opportunities, to desist from destroying infrastructure as it posed a huge risk to the sustainability of the economy, including the loss of lives as a result of train derailments and further job losses.