11-Oct-18, Engineering News
South Africa's draft White Paper on National Rail Policy is expected to be completed by the end of 2018, with the legislative process only expected to begin post the 2019 national elections.
%20Railway%20Pro.png "Rail to form backbone of South African transport by 2050 (c) Railway Pro")
Image: Railway Pro
With railways no longer able to compete effectively against other transport modes, Department of Transport rail deputy director-general Jan-David de Villiers said the South African rail sector is "uncompetitive and operationally challenged".
The primary intervention will rebalance rail sector investment, with government intending to focus on investing ZAR170 bn (USD11.9 bn) into the sector over the next ten years. The rationale is to position rail as South Africa’s transport backbone by 2050 and to support the UN's commitment to greenhouse-gas emissions reduction. Rail will offer the safest, most economically, environmentally, financially and socially viable logistics solution.