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Government commits to improving infrastructure spending

By: Tasneem Bulbulia Updated 5 hours ago The 2021 Budget, presented by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni on February 24, outlines that R93.1-billion has been earmarked for economic regulation and infrastructure, from consolidated government expenditure of R2.02-trillion each year over the medium term. To boost infrastructure spending,... →

Imperial to exit its Logistics International business, focus increasingly on Africa

By: Irma Venter 23rd February 2021 The JSE-listed Imperial group plans to exit its Logistics International business, says CEO Mohammed Akoojee. “We thoroughly assessed the strategic fit of our international portfolio [and] we have concluded that Logistics International is noncore to our Gateway-to-Africa strategy and we will... →

Covid-19-induced ridership decline forces cancellation of Gautrain rolling stock tenders

By: Irma Venter 19th February 2021 The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) and the Bombela concessionaire have cancelled two tenders related to the procurement of around five pre-owned trains from the UK, says GMA CEO William Dachs. The tenders were first issued in 2019. →

Transnet adjusts infrastructure strategy to deal with damaging weather conditions

By: Donna Slater 18th February 2021 State-owned Transnet is investigating methods to deal with unpredictable and severe weather patterns, which have negatively affected the railway network during and after cyclone Eloise hit Southern Africa in late January, resulting in heavy rainfall across South Africa. Transnet Freight Rail... →

The results of a recent wash-away incident

PRASA chairperson welcomes resumption of Cape Town to Langa train service

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 15th February 2021 Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) chairperson Leonard Ramatlakane welcomed rail commuters upon the resumption of service on the Cape Town to Langa line on February 15. Ramatlakane reiterated that PRASA owed it to communities to reintroduce a reliable, safe and affordable public... →

Transnet pilots reefer trains to ease road congestion in Cape town

By: Marleny Arnoldi 8th February 2021 To bring about much-needed relief on roads and move goods more efficiently to the ports, Transnet’s Cape Town Container Terminal has piloted an inland operation that will see the haulage of reefer containers from Belcon Inland Terminal, in Bellville, to the port. The collaboration between... →

TMH delivers 226 passenger coaches to Egyptian National Railways

By: Donna Slater 5th February 2021 Rail rolling stock manufacturer Transmashholdings (TMH) in 2020 delivered 226 88-seater third-class passenger coaches, with dynamic ventilation, to the Egyptian National Railways (ENR) from the TMH competence centre in Tver, Russia. The €1-billion contract for 1 300 passenger coaches awarded by... →

Some of the 88-seater third-class passenger coaches

Gibela calls for applicants for engineering bursaries

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 3rd February 2021 Train-maker Gibela is looking for eligible candidates for the 210 bursaries it is offering this year, for post-matric study in an array of engineering-related fields. Established in 2013 as a black economic empowerment company, the Gibela Rail Transport Consortium comprises French rail company... →

Gibela bursaries

Gautrain Management Agency cancels rolling stock tenders

By: Irma Venter 3rd February 2021 The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) and Bombela concessionaire have cancelled two tenders related to the procurement of around five pre-owned trains from the UK, says GMA CEO William Dachs. The tenders were first issued in 2019. →

Transnet's Phelophepa I train arrives in the Eastern Cape

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 1st February 2021 Transnet’s Phelophepa I train has arrived in the Eastern Cape province, as it starts its yearly programme to provide primary healthcare services, including Covid-19 screening and testing. The train, which has recently undergone its yearly maintenance programme, will be visiting several... →

Gautrain rolling stock fleet completes 40-million kilometres in service

By: Irma Venter 18th January 2021 Bombardier Transportation says the Gautrain commuter fleet has successfully completed 40-million kilometres in service since operations began in 2010. →

Government saddened at the death of business leader Mokgatle

By: Donna Slater 11th January 2021 Government conveys its sadness about the death of Peotona Group Holdings co-founder and executive director Dolly Mokgatle. She was an established business leader who held various leadership positions within several of South Africa’s State-owned enterprises and the private sector. →

Two Chinese firms to build $1.32bn Tanzanian rail line

By: Reuters 8th January 2021 Two Chinese companies have won the contract to build a 3.0617-trillion shillings ($1.32-billion) modern rail line in Tanzania, the East African nation's foreign minister said, extending more than a decade of Chinese involvement in the country. China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and... →

Siemens sees train boom from climate-conscious spending on rail

By: Bloomberg 18th December 2020 Siemens sees the rail market bouncing back from a coronavirus slump, aided by an international push to slash carbon-dioxide emissions from transport. The global market for trains and related infrastructure will expand by a quarter over the next three years to exceed pre-coronavirus levels,... →

Golden Arrow operator keen on running passenger rail service in Cape Town

By: Irma Venter 11th December 2020 Hosken Passenger Logistics & Rail (HPL&R), which, among others, operates the Golden Arrow bus service in Cape Town, is interested in expanding its operations to become a private participant in the country’s rail sector, confirms HPL&R spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer. HPL&R is listed on the JSE... →

Transnet says McKinsey owes it R1.2bn

By: Marleny Arnoldi 10th December 2020 State-owned freight utility Transnet has confirmed that no final settlement has been reached with US-based consultancy McKinsey, but says the consultancy owes it more than R1.2-billion. Transnet and McKinsey had discussions up until December 9, with the main point of dispute being the repayment... →

Sars freezes R2.8bn from Chinese rail company that paid Gupta kickbacks

By: News24Wire 9th December 2020 Days before R1.26-billion in frozen funds was due to be released to Gupta-linked Chinese rail group CRRC, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday handed down an order that the monies remain frozen until the company provides a bank guarantee for the same amount to the South African Revenue... →

TMH Africa, UWC ink framework agreement

By: Marleny Arnoldi 7th December 2020 Rolling stock manufacturer TMH Africa has signed a framework agreement with global rolling stock manufacturer United Wagon Company (UWC) to jointly supply the African market with freight wagons for narrow-gauge rail lines. The framework agreement lays the foundation for an industrial... →

Gibela confident it will deliver 600 new train sets to PRASA by 2029 deadline

By: Irma Venter 4th December 2020 Train maker Gibela is confident it can meet the terms of its R51-billion contract to deliver 600 newly built train sets to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) by 2029, despite the impact of Covid-19, says CEO Hector Danisa. Gibela, in 2013, signed a R51-billion contract to supply... →

Rail link planned for small-scale cane growers

By: Darren Parker 4th December 2020 Sugar producer Tongaat Hulett is partnering with the South African Farmers Development Association, and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to establish a sugar cane rail transport system, in KwaZulu-Natal, between Makhathini cane growers in northern Zululand and... →

LOWERED HAULAGE COSTS The project will result in a 50% reduction in transportation costs for growers

Ctrack Freight Transport Index growth slows

By: Irma Venter 1st December 2020 The October Ctrack Freight Transport Index (CFTI) shows that the index will not boast the same growth in the fourth quarter as the record-breaking third quarter, but that some improvement is still expected. The index measures the health of South Africa’s logistics sector. →

Shosholoza Meyl to resume operations on major routes

By: Marleny Arnoldi 27th November 2020 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA’s) long-distance train passenger service Shosholoza Meyl has resumed its major festive season travel routes, effective November 27. Passengers are able to travel from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban, Musina, Polokwane, East London, Port... →

Despite improvements, rail safety remains a concern – RSR

By: Donna Slater 27th November 2020 Despite improvements in some areas of national railway safety, statistics in the latest 'State of Railway Safety Report 2019/20', published on November 27, reveals “a grim picture of safety within the railway industry”, the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) reports. Despite an overall 24% reduction... →

Buses, trains shunned in favour of cars and taxis, Gauteng travel survey reveals

By: Irma Venter 27th November 2020 Low-capacity transport modes, such as minibus taxis and private cars, have become the backbone of the transport network in Gauteng province, as opposed to high-capacity modes, such as rail and buses. This is one of the main findings of the 2019/20 Gauteng Household Transport Survey (GHTS),... →

Gautrain to complete electric-bus pilot project by end-2021

By: Irma Venter 27th November 2020 The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) is busy with a feasibility study to investigate the possible future use of alternative drivetrains in the Gautrain bus fleet, says GMA COO Tshepo Kgobe. As part of this programme, the GMA expects to complete a pilot project, employing an electric bus, at the... →

Bombardier locomotives pass 10m kilometre mark on South African rail lines

By: Donna Slater 26th November 2020 Mobility technology company Bombardier Transportation reports that, as of November 26, its locomotive fleet provided to State-owned logistics company Transnet has successfully completed ten-million kilometres in service since operations began in December 2017. Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) in... →

Bombardier's Traxx Africa locomotives

TFR says rail industry making progress in the fight against cable theft

By: Creamer Media Reporter 17th November 2020 Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) reports that more than 169 suspects were arrested between August and October for cable theft. It attributed this success to the joint efforts of TFR and other rail industry stakeholders, as well as law enforcement agencies and customers. →

TFR engages with customers about security concerns, mitigating measures

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 13th November 2020 The Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) executive management, security and technology teams this week hosted a security workshop in collaboration with customers and Minerals Council South Africa to explore ways of stepping up the war against theft, vandalism and sabotage of railway infrastructure and... →

Logistics index shows ‘strong growth’ in third quarter, following decline in prior three months

By: Irma Venter 13th November 2020 The South African logistics sector has just recorded its strongest ever quarter of growth, according to the newest Ctrack Freight & Transport Index (CFTI). In June, at the end of the second quarter, the CFTI showed that the domestic logistics sector recorded a decline of 17.6% compared with the... →

Gibela confident of meeting 2029 deadline

By: Irma Venter 12th November 2020 Train-maker Gibela is confident it can meet the terms of its R51-billion contract to deliver 600 newly-built train sets to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) by 2029, despite the impact of Covid-19, says CEO Hector Danisa. Gibela in 2013 signed a R51-billion contract to supply... →

Hector Danisa

South Africa urged to take the lead in adopting TIR system

By: Irma Venter 6th November 2020 South Africa should take the lead in adopting the Transport Internationaux Routiers (TIR) system in sub-Saharan Africa, says the International Road Transport Union (IRU). TIR is a United Nations convention and enables goods to be shipped from a country of origin, through transit countries, to a... →

Golden Arrow operator keen on running passenger rail service in Cape Town

By: Irma Venter 5th November 2020 Hosken Passenger Logistics & Rail (HPL&R), which among others operates the Golden Arrow bus service in Cape Town, is interested in expanding its operations to become a private participant in the country’s rail sector, confirms HPL&R spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer. HPL&R is listed on the JSE, and... →

The 'jig is up' for rail saboteurs - Mbalula tells Parliament

By: News24Wire 4th November 2020 Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula wants the "might of the law unleashed" on those responsible for the destruction of South Africa's rail infrastructure. "The jig is up," he told the National Assembly on Tuesday. →

Ctrack Freight & Transport Index sees logistics sector making a comeback

By: Irma Venter 29th October 2020 The South African logistics sector has just recorded its strongest ever quarter of growth, this according to the newest Ctrack Freight & Transport Index (CFTI). In June, at the end of the second quarter, the CFTI showed that the domestic logistics sector recorded a decline of 17.6% compared with... →

Rail offers potential for Africa

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 28th October 2020 The growing population in Africa, coupled with the rise of urbanisation, will require additional transport capacity, and rail has a significant role to play in this, said Products Projects Consulting for Trains MD Wolfram Schwab. He was speaking during rolling stock manufacturing and servicing... →

PRASA appoints acting CEO

By: Creamer Media Reporter 27th October 2020 The newly appointed board of control of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) held its first meeting on October 27 and appointed group executive for human capital management Thandeka Mabija acting CEO with immediate effect. She is expected to hold the acting CEO position for a maximum... →

Traxtion to invest billions in rail infrastructure development over next five years

By: Simone Liedtke 26th October 2020 Rail services and solutions provider Traxtion Group intends to embark on a significant investment programme within South Africa’s rail sector, which will, at first, see an initial locomotive and wagon build programme of R1.5-billion upon conclusion of the appropriate access rights with... →

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