Potential bidders for the proposed inland Tambo Springs container terminal, which is earmarked for development as a public–private partnership (PPP) in eastern Gauteng, have until September 30 to submit responses to a request for proposals (RFP) issued in June.

A bid documentation fee of R4 000 has been set by Transnet, which has invited “suitably qualified global logistics service providers to design, build, operate, maintain and eventually hand over the inland container terminal”.

Transnet reports that it has secured 35 ha for the PPP project, which has been designed to handle 50-wagon trains initially, rising to 75-wagon trains as demand rises. However, it was subsequently reported that the project faced serious zoning constraints, with Freight Trading Weekly quoting property practitioners and lawyers who suggested that building plans could not be approved on the site, owing to an absence of various town-planning approvals and conflicts with the infrastructure legislation. In addition, they pointed out that portions of the land had already been designated for the PWV 13/15 roadway, which would make township approval legally fraught.

However, in response to an enquiry, Transnet insisted that all the necessary legal and adminis­trative processes and development approvals were in place, including:

• Approval of the master plan for the ‘Tambo Springs Next-Generation Logistics Gateway Development’ by relevant government departments and parastatals.
• Formal incorporation of the land into the Ekurhuleni spatial planning.
• Completion of the environmental-impact assessment processes, leading to the formal issuance of a positive record of decision required for the rezoning.
• Formal rezoning approval from all relevant authorities, allowing for the different land uses planned in the development, including an intermodal rail terminal.
• Implementation of the formal processes required for the realignment of the planned routing of the potential future PWV 13 road alignment to allow the development to occur.
• Agreement with the Ekurhuleni municipality to allow the required construction of bulk and internal civil and electrical services for the development, including the intermodal rail terminal site.
• A framework agreement between Transnet and the master developer, the Tambo Springs Development Company, in respect of the development of an operated rail terminal.

Transnet assured that the site had been rezoned and that the right to use the land for an inland terminal had been secured. “We have also secured special rights for the remainder of the land. These allow for the land to be used for various purposes, including warehousing, manufacturing, transport and industrial purposes.”

The realignment of the PWV 13 road, mean­while, is being addressed as part of the overall town planning and/or rezoning approval pro­cesses. “The realignment of PWV 13 is under way. We have been in discussion with the Gauteng Depart­ment of Transport since 2013.

The depart­ment has outlined all the requirements for the realignment and we are complying with these.”

Should the PPP proceed, the concession will be for 20 years, with the terminal expected to be operational by 2019. It will have an initial capacity of 144 000 TEUs a year, with an option to ramp it up to 560 000 TEUs.