South Africa and Swaziland to develop joint rail lines

Both countries want to to develop a 146 kilometre line.

South Africa and Swaziland to develop joint rail lines
Funke Atohengbe, South Africa

South Africa and Swaziland have agreed to jointly develop a 146 kilometre rail line from Lothair in Mpumalanga, South Africa to Sidvokodvo Junction in Swaziland junction as well as upgrade adjacent rail networks in South Africa.

South Africa’s Transportation Network, Transnet said the Freight rail infrastructure is expected to boost economic activities between the two neighbouring countries and create jobs.

The Group Chief Executive of Transnet, Brian Molefe said the line would be a coal transport route and would enable freight trains of up to 200 wagons in length to travel across the border.

Transporting Bulk Products

He said it was better for coal to be transported via rail as opposed to trucks as this was cost effective for unprocessed minerals and bulk products.
"This (project) is of great historical and economic importance, and we are all immensely proud of this fact.

"Rail infrastructure is undergoing a major renaissance as an investment and as a vehicle for the upliftment of citizens in an environmentally friendly and cost effective manner," Molefe said.

The new line will also handle general freight volumes separate from coal, and will add new rail transport capacity of 15 million tonnes to the region.

The first trains on the new line are expected to start transporting the products in three years.

The last rail project of this size was the Richards Bay Line, dating from 1976.

Hauwa Abu/Ugo