South Africa railway news
News about railway operations, services and the supply industry in South Africa.
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NewsPrasa deploys vibration detection tool to prevent intrusion
SOUTH AFRICA: Huawei has deployed its railway perimeter security tool that uses both an optical fibre which can detect vibration and CCTV cameras across six depots managed by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa throughout the country. Huawei showcased the tool to Railway Gazette International at ...
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NewsTransnet obtains US$1bn loan to stabilise South African rail network
SOUTH AFRICA: The African Development Bank has approved a US$1bn corporate loan to support national rail, port and logistics company Transnet’s business recovery plan, and is considering two targeted grants. The 25-year government-guaranteed loan approved on July 12 will facilitate the first phase of Transnet’s US$8·1bn ...
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In depthInterview: ‘The commuter experience will be back to its best’
South Africa’s Railway Safety Regulator is tasked with overseeing safe and secure rail services on a network ravaged by vandalism and asset theft over recent years. RSR is also implementing the government’s plan to open up the Transnet network to new entrants. Acting CEO Mmuso Selaledi explains the scale of the challenge to Benjámin Zelki.
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NewsInland port association aims to get more freight onto South Africa’s railways
SOUTH AFRICA: The Multimodal Inland Port Association has been formed to act as a unified voice advocating for freight modal shift from road to rail. MIPA aims to encourage private investment and participation in rail reform, to foster trade activities that meet social objectives and to ...
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NewsLocos modernised for African lease fleet
SOUTH AFRICA: Leasing company Traxtion has completed a major overhaul of five Class 39 diesel locomotives which it acquired from South Africa’s Transnet Freight Rail as part of a strategy of expanding its fleet to meet a growing demand for rail freight services in Sub-Saharan Africa. ...
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NewsPrasa reports completion of resignalling schemes
SOUTH AFRICA: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has resignalled six suburban rail lines across the country, Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga reported on April 24. Under a project that is expected to take seven years to complete, Prasa is resignalling the network in phases, the minister ...
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NewsPrasa restores more suburban rail services
SOUTH AFRICA: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has restarted its Metrorail suburban rail services on five sections of the networks in the provinces of Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape. Local rail services across the country had been disrupted by a spate of vandalism and cable ...
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NewsPrasa resumes long-distance services after two years
SOUTH AFRICA: Prasa restarted Shosholoza Meyl long-distance passenger services on the Johannesburg – Durban and Johannesburg – Cape Town routes on December 7.
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NewsInfrastructure manager established ahead of South African rail network opening
SOUTH AFRICA: National railway and logistics group Transnet has established an interim rail infrastructure manager as part of plans to open the network to third party train operators in 2024. Vertical separation forms part of the government’s National Rail Policy which aims to facilitate private sector ...
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NewsGauteng and Eastern Cape suburban services restored
SOUTH AFRICA: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has restarted services on the Pretoria – Kempton Park suburban rail line in Gauteng province, and reintroduced a limited service on the Gqeberha – Uitenhage line in Eastern Cape province. Local rail services across the country had been ...
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NewsSouthern Africa opportunities for UK rail supply chain
AFRICA: The Southern African Railways Association and UK trade association Rail Forum have signed a letter of intent for long-term co-operation in rail infrastructure development. The collaboration brings together SARA, Rail Forum, the UK Department for Business & Trade, UK Export Finance and the UK Rail ...
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NewsPrasa reopens Durban suburban line using X’Trapolis EMUs
SOUTH AFRICA: Passenger Agency of South Africa has restarted a limited passenger service on the 17 km Durban – KwaMashu suburban rail line. A reopening ceremony on September 12 was attended by Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga and CEO of the Prasa Group Hishaam Emeran. While ...
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NewsSouth African operator addresses maintenance backlog with turnout contract
SOUTH AFRICA: Transnet Freight Rail has awarded Voestalpine VAE SA a three-year contract to supply turnouts and components. VAESA Chief Executive Pulane Tshabalala Kingston said this is the first substantial turnout contract to have be successfully awarded by TFR in the last five years. She said ...
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In depthViewpoint: The challenge of pricing South African rail access
Predictable and evidence-based regulation will be needed to support a viable pricing model for access to a vertically separated South African rail network under the government’s reform programme. Economist Sarah Truen explains the challenge.
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NewsPrasa reintroduces Gauteng suburban service
SOUTH AFRICA: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has restarted a limited service on the Germiston – Leralla line in the Johannesburg suburbs. The reintroduction of services on June 27 follows a 14-month blockade to restore vandalised infrastructure. Trains are currently only calling at Leralla, Limindlela, ...
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NewsMinister blocks Cape Town suburban rail devolution ‘for now’
SOUTH AFRICA: ‘For now we are not in the process of devolving railway services, that is why Prasa is busy building up railway services in the Western Cape’, national Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga told local media during a site visit to Cape Town in May. ...
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NewsAlstom Ubunye opens South African welding school
SOUTH AFRICA: The Alstom Ubunye Welding School in Nigel has opened to provide free professional welding training for unemployed young people. It is accredited by the South African Institute of Welding, and will provide theoretical and practical modules developed under the guidance of industry specialists and ...
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NewsPrasa reaches milestone in Cape Town suburban rail restoration
SOUTH AFRICA: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa restarted services on April 4 between Langa and Nyanga on Cape Town’s Central Line.
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NewsFreight operator investigates whether ghost trains are haunting its network
SOUTH AFRICA: Transnet has started investigating allegations of ‘ghost trains’ on its network, following reports that services may be operating which are not formally scheduled, with the revenue not flowing back to the national freight operator. In a statement on March 27, Transnet emphasised that ‘these ...
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NewsSix 8E locos to receive HVAC upgrade
SOUTH AFRICA: Booyco Engineering has been commissioned to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system fitted to the driver’s cabs of six Class 8E locomotives operated by a South African coal producer. The HVAC systems are designed and manufactured at Booyco Engineering’s Germiston facilities. However, the ...