Name and Location
Swaziland link railway project.

Client
South Africa State-owned rail operator Transnet and Swazi Rail.

Project Description
The project includes the construction of a 146 km railway line between Lothair, in Mpumalanga, South Africa, and Sidvokodvo, in Swaziland, with an initial yearly capacity of 15-million tons.

The 146 km link will divert general freight currently being moved on the Ermelo–Richards Bay line through Swaziland, thereby increasing the capacity of South Africa’s coal channel from Mpumalanga to the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT), in KwaZulu-Natal, to an estimated 91-million tons.

Envisaged in the first phase is a single, nonelectrified line, with crossing loops spaced about 40 km apart.

Therefore, the new line, which could emerge as South Africa’s first greenfield line in more than three decades, will be operated by diesel locomotives.

Currently, the coal line has the capacity to move about 72-million tons, well below the 91-million-ton nameplate capacity of the RBCT.

The development is being pursued in parallel with an initiative to build heavy-haul capacity from the Waterberg coalfields, in Limpopo, to Ermelo, in Mpumalanga, which should create new coal export capacity from South Africa and possibly neighbouring Botswana.

Besides the Lothair–Sidvokodvo link, Transnet will also need to upgrade and strengthen other networks in South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique.

These associated projects include the upgrade of the 108 km Davel–Lothair line at an estimated cost of R2.2-billion, strengthening the 345 km Sidvokodvo–Richards Bay line (R4.6-billion) and upgrading the 154 km Phuzumoya–Maputo line, which will require an estimated capital of about R1.8-billion.

Value
The project is estimated to cost between R16-billion and R17-billion.

Transnet is expected to contribute R12-billion and Swazi Rail about R5-billion.

Duration
Environmental approvals and land acquisitions are expected to be finalised between 2012 and 2014.

Latest Developments
Mott MacDonald PDNA (MMPDNA) is finalising the feasibility stage of State-owned rail operator Transnet’s R17-billion Swaziland link railway project.

Transnet projects run through a four-stage cycle, known as front-end-loading (FEL) phases. FEL-1 is the conceptual design phase of the project during which different design options are identified.

In FEL-2, the level of engineering definition is increased and the most viable of the options arrived at in FEL-1 are developed. Design options can be rejected on the basis of spatial, environmental or geometric constraints.

The Swaziland link project is currently in the FEL-3 phase of the project. A single design option has been selected and MMPDNA is completing the processes that will enable Transnet to take the design to tender.
FEL-4 will entail inviting contractors to submit bids to start construction of the project. The design of the four-year-old project will be finalised before the end of the year.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Transnet media liaison officer Viwe Tlaleane, tel +27 11 308 2384, fax +27 11 308 2465 or email Viwe.Tlaleane@transnet.net.
Swazi Rail public relations officer Lizzie Mbokane, tel +268 4042 486/7/8 or fax +268 4045 009.