Private trains to ply South African rail network in commercial revamp

By Seth Onyango, bird story agency

South Africa is opening its rail network to private train operators in a commercial pivot to revitalise a key component of its transport and logistics infrastructure.

It is part of the state-run logistics firm, Transnet SOC Ltd to inject dynamism into the sector, plagued by inefficiencies and maintenance challenges.

On Friday, March 15, Transnet published a document laying the groundwork for private companies to utilise its extensive rail network. It includes how the operational, financial, and regulatory frameworks will govern the integration of private operators.

It will be gazetted for public consultation in the coming days, with Transnet aiming to finalise the draft network by the start of its next financial year on April 1.

According to its schedule, the process of getting private trains onto its tracks will commence in the second half of the year.

Transnet’s 21,232-kilometer rail network makes up 85% of Africa’s rail tracks, making the privatisation effort one of the largest and most ambitious globally.

Historically, the rail network has faced significant hurdles, notably in maintenance and management, which have led to a pronounced decline in freight transport volumes.

South Africa witnessed a steep decline in the volume of goods transported via rail, from 226 million tons to about 150 million tons in the past five years.

Privatisation aims to reverse this trend, leveraging private sector agility and investment to reclaim and surpass its former logistical capacities.

In the draft, Transnet said it is “responsible to establish the basis for safe and reliable Train operations through the process of non-discriminatory granting of Access and allocation of Slot capacity to Applicants, and the provision of Services to Train Operating Companies (TOCs).”

“This Network Statement is valid and applicable from the Publication Date, and will regulate capacity allocation Applications for the provision of, and the provision of Transport Services by TOCs during, the period starting on 1 April 2024 at 00h01 and ending on 31 March 2025 at 23h59.”

Enhanced rail services are primed to reduce logistics costs and improve the competitiveness of South African exports, particularly in bulk commodity sectors such as mining and agriculture.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been targeting the overhaul of South Africa’s struggling ports and rail system.

It is part of a broader revitalisation plan to bolster private participation in historically state-dominated sectors to spur economic regeneration.

Economically, privatising the rail sector unlocks substantial private investment, not only in the rail infrastructure itself but also in adjacent industries.

But perhaps the most compelling aspect of South Africa’s rail reform is its potential to serve as a blueprint for other African nations grappling with similar challenges.

The continent’s infrastructure has long been a bottleneck to economic development, with inefficient rail and port systems hindering intra-African trade and access to global markets.

By demonstrating a successful model of public-private partnership in rail transport, South Africa could lead the way in showing how such collaborations can be structured to mutual benefit.

bird story agency

Useful link: https://www.transnet.net/DropOffLibrary/DRAFT_Transnet_Network_Statement_Volume_2_Public%20Consultation_15_March_2024.pdf