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Transnet rejects claims that its locomotive acquisition programme is in tatters

25th January 2017

By: Anine Kilian

Contributing Editor Online

     

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State-owned Transnet has denied media reports that its R50-billion acquisition programme for 1 064 new locomotives is in tatters.

Transnet in 2014 awarded original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive and Bombardier Transportation South Africa contracts for the supply of a combined 599 electric locomotives, while General Electric (GE) South Africa Technologies and CNR Rolling Stock South Africa were awarded a contract to supply a combined 465 diesel locomotives. 

News24 on Monday reported that the first two of 232 diesel locomotives to be supplied to Transnet by China's CRRC (CSR and CNR have since merged to form CRRC) had experienced glitches in the form of excessive vibrations in their alternators soon after they arrived in South Africa last year.

“Discovery of technical glitches is no indication of poor workmanship, engineering or design. The two locomotives had precommissioning glitches, which CNR has attended to,” Transnet said in a statement late on Tuesday.

The parastatal further explained that CRRC had delivered two prototype locomotives for testing in South African conditions.

In terms of the contract, Transnet said CRRC would manufacture the first 20 diesel locomotives in its facility in China.

Transnet noted that it made it a condition that the 18 remaining locomotives being manufactured in China be checked for glitches before being shipped to South Africa.

“None of these have been delivered to Transnet. However, they are going through the normal testing procedures prior to acceptance and commissioning. We wish to put on record that such testing is standard. Each and every locomotive goes through the process.”

The company stressed that “it is both inaccurate and mischievous to deliberately misinterpret an internationally recognised quality assurance process to advance devious ideological schemes and at the same time casting aspersions on Transnet’s image and [the] integrity of our processes.”

Transnet stressed that it operates many Chinese manufactured locomotives on its network and they “run excellently”.

“Transnet, over the past ten years has bought hundreds of locomotives from various OEMs including EMD, GE, Mitsui and CSR. In all these instances, similar tests were run before acceptance,” Transnet pointed out.

It further noted that, since the contracts were awarded for the supply of the 1 064 locomotives, testing of the various OEMs’ locomotives has been performed, and the glitches that had been identified in various instances had been addressed. It added that the OEMs have varied their supplier lists in line with changing circumstances.

“The 1 064 acquisition programme is conducted by mutual agreement between the company and its suppliers and we are satisfied with the progress and quality of products,” Transnet said.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

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