State-owned Transnet at the weekend hosted a trolley trip for the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government leadership to observe operations that constitute the Durban-Gauteng, or Natal, rail corridor, also known as Natcor.

The corridor is considered the main artery linking the Durban port precinct to the country’s main economic hub in Gauteng, and is receiving priority attention in Transnet’s improvement plans, and as part of the group’s road-to-rail initiative.

The initiative was attended by Transnet Group CE Portia Derby, Transnet Freight Rail CE Siza Mzimela, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala, KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Ravi Pillay, eThekwini deputy Mayor-elect Dianna Hoorzuk and Department of Public Enterprises director-general Kgathatso Tlhakudi.

Speaking after the Natcor trolley trip, Zikalala said that, in collaboration with other organs of State, the KwaZulu-Natal government was committed to finding a lasting solution to ensure the strategic corridor is not further compromised.

“The encroachment of illegal informal settlements on the tracks and rail reserve, which has been exacerbated by the wanton destruction, theft and vandalism of infrastructure, must be urgently addressed.

"We have adopted an all-hands-on-deck approach so that the corridor can perform at its optimum capacity and move commodities such as coal, motor vehicles, gold and containers and fuel much more efficiently,” he commented.

Transnet will collaborate with the provincial and local governments to find solutions to protect the railway infrastructure and ensure that this vital corridor is able to move freight safely and reliably, for the growth and competitiveness of the South African economy, the State-owned entity said.

Derby noted that one of the key observations made by the stakeholders was the increasing number of communities encroaching the rail servitudes, particularly around Durban, Pietermaritzburg and the surrounding areas.

The continuing vandalism of Transnet infrastructure, she said, remained a significant constraint on the ability of this corridor to perform at design capacity.

“It’s critical that we work jointly with our partners from the provincial government, the municipalities and the surrounding communities to protect the integrity of the infrastructure, and provide security to enable rail to reclaim its position as a significant freight mover.

“The Durban-Gauteng corridor is strategically placed to benefit from high volumes, particularly from container traffic. These operational constraints remain a bottleneck towards our ability to achieve growth along this corridor, which would have a beneficial impact on communities along this line and on the provincial and national economy,” Derby said.