South Africa’s main coal line from the mines in Mpumalanga Province to Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) has been badly affected by vandalism over the past couple of years, resulting in repeated derailments and the lowest South African coal exports for three decades in 2022.
However, the country’s principal container corridor, which runs for 670 km from the Port of Durban to the industrial heartland around Johannesburg, is now also being affected. Although some arrests have been made, the attacks have continued.
Regular damage to South Africa’s railway network is variously reported as vandalism or sabotage but is mostly caused by organised crime, with gangs taking cables and other rail infrastructure that can be sold as scrap metal.
Rail operator Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has sought support from mining companies to improve security on the coal line. This seems feasible where there are only a few main customers, but may be more difficult on a container line where that is not the case.
Cables and signalling gear have been taken from long stretches of the container line in recent months, with some reports suggesting that 591 km of cable was taken in FY 2022-23. This has forced TFR to employ diesel-powered locomotives on the line, while many containers have been transported on the N3 highway rather than by rail. Increasingly frequent extreme rainfall has also caused the line’s closure on several occasions. While the South African economy has struggled to grow for many years, the automotive industry has been one of few bright spots. However, Ford’s and BMW’s operations have been affected by difficulties in moving vehicles to Durban and importing sufficient components.
In February, Transnet issued a Request for Qualifications to identify possible private-sector interest in operating the Durban-Johannesburg line, which is a fully electrified double-track main line, as well as the City Deep and Kascon inland freight terminals in Johannesburg, under a 20-year lease. Given that any potential operator would also be required to maintain the line, the upsurge in damage to infrastructure could deter interest.
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This complete item is approximately 330 words in length, and appeared in the May 2023 issue of WorldCargo News, on page 10. To access this issue download the PDF here
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