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The Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager has signed rail access agreements with 11 private train operating companies, expected to inject an additional 24-million tonnes of freight capacity across coal, manganese, container, fuel and general freight segments. The operators – including ARC South Africa, Grindrod, Menar and TLD Marine – are targeting operations before the end of 2026, with the majority expected to be operational during 2027, as government pursues a goal of raising rail volumes to 250-million tonnes by 2030.
Diversified miner Menar launches dedicated rail and ports logistics businessMenar has established Menar Ports & Rail as a full train operating company following its August 2025 allocation of 8.69-million tonnes of rail capacity under the TRIM scheme. The company plans to invest an estimated R4.5-billion to R5-billion in locomotives and wagons and will transport mineral commodities and beneficiated goods from pit to port for both its own operations and third-party mines, with access to major export terminals including Richards Bay and Durban.
TRIM invites bids for Western Cape station leases and ad hoc slot applicationsThe rail infrastructure manager is seeking private companies to lease, develop and operate three Western Cape station facilities – Dal Josafat, Huguenot and Bitterfontein – for a minimum of ten years, with bid submissions due by June 23. TRIM has also introduced an ad hoc slot application platform to allocate additional rail capacity outside the annual cycle, which has already unlocked a proposed short-haul service between Cato Ridge and Durban aimed at reducing road congestion.
Rail Updates
Hydraulics, pneumatics and automation group Bosch Rexroth South Africa took customers on a tour of its production facility in Witfontein, Gauteng, on June 19, as it celebrated its sixtieth...
Wine industry leaders and stakeholders convened in Stellenbosch, in the Western Cape, this week to assess the future of South African wine, with speakers taking stock of the economic headwinds,...
In advocating for reindustrialisation in South Africa and the creation of new jobs, diversified mining group Menar is expanding its portfolio of operations with the February 2026 addition of a...
South Africa loses between R150-billion and R300-billion a year because ageing infrastructure, theft, and vandalism have left 16% of iron-ore, 12% of coal, and 24% of other export mining products...
The economic reform agenda has emerged as the defining feature of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency, especially the reforms under way to open the electricity and freight logistics markets to...
The Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) is inviting private companies to bid to lease, develop and operate three station facilities in the Western Cape for a minimum lease period of ten...
Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the significance of the Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager's (TRIM's) signing of rail access agreements with 11 private train operating companies.
The 11 private train operating companies (TOCs), which were last year allocated slots on South Africa’s mainline rail network, have now officially concluded rail access agreements with the Transnet...
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has confirmed that major private sector participation (PSP) projects in the freight logistics sector will be brought to market in the current financial year and...
The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) has announced that the Rail Industry Awards 2026 will take place on October 28 as part of South Africa’s Transport Month programme. Nominations for the awards...
The Draft National Rail Master Plan released by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy for public comment outlines an ambitious R2-trillion vision for repositioning South Africa’s underperforming rail...
South Africa’s rail network infrastructure challenges continue to stifle economic competitiveness, sustainability and regional integration, and the network requires a complete revitalisation...
The significant increase in fuel prices in April and May is no longer a short-term pricing shock that businesses can ride out, says Business Unity South Africa CEO Khulekani Mathe, adding that...
As South Africa’s freight system sits at a critical crossroads, with logistics costs estimated at between 11% and 12%, inefficiencies no longer just pose operational challenges, but create a direct...
The Draft National Rail Master Plan released by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy for public comment outlines an ambitious R2-trillion vision for repositioning South Africa’s underperforming rail...
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy reports that she intends seeking Cabinet approval for a new National Rail Bill during the 2026/27 financial year and that the Bill will aim to embed in legislation...
Transnet is expecting to report rail volumes of about 168-million tons for the 2025/26 financial year, above the 160.1-million tons of the prior year but below the “stretch target” of 180-million...
The importance of rail and water for South Africa’s economic growth was emphasised on the second day of industry organisation Consulting Engineers South Africa’s (Cesa’s) Infrastructure Indaba...
Cabinet has approved the release of the draft National Rail Master Plan (NRMP), described as the strategic plan to guide the revitalisation, expansion and modernisation of South Africa’s rail...
South African private rail operator Traxtion has committed about R1.5-million for this year to two skills development initiatives that are designed to strengthen the long-term capacity within South...
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