Railways Africa

Roger Baxter, CEO of the Minerals Council South Africa speaking at the South African Heavy Haul Conference and Exhibition on the topic of: "Opportunities & Challenges of the Mining Sector - Expected Role of the Logistics System".

There is no doubt that open access or third party access to Transnet Freight Rail’s core network is being seen as a “hoorah” moment for the revitalisation of South Africa’s ailing railway sector, but there’s more to this than meets the eye! Transnet Freight Rail is facing some very real and extraordinary challenges – theft, vandalism, rolling stock availability -among others. In this Coffee with the Editor with Phillippa Dean, TFR - CEO, Sizakele Mzimela takes us through the current implementation status of open access, and what the future holds. Enjoy.

Officially a year since Bombardier Transport become part of the Alstom group. Making this an ideal opportunity to connect with Bernard Peille, Managing Director Southern Africa, ALSTOM. In this Coffee with the Editor, we discuss the changes to the group locally and what the future holds for both South Africa and Southern Africa. Especially, now as the product portfolio has been expanded. In South Africa, the Alstom group is actively involved in passenger rail through the delivery of PRASA’s new rolling stock programme, the Xtrapolis fleet through Gibela. Alstom Ubunye, their rail manufacturing factory, is supplying components to Gibela, including end-under-frames, bogies and bogie frames. Looming products and other electrical components. The Isando manufacturing plant, previously a Bombardier Transport facility, is focused on propulsion systems, producing high-power traction converter systems for the Traxx 3300 platform. Alstom will continue to deliver the TRAXX locomotives to Transnet. In addition, with the transfer of Bombardier to the Group, Alstom is now actively involved with the Gautrain. Alstom Southern African is participating in a number of projects outside of South Africa. Bernard highlights signalling projects in Tanzania and Zambia, as well as, opportunities they are exploring in Namibia, Botswana, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe amongst others.

In this Coffee with the Editor, we get to know Dutliff Bredenkamp the recently appointed CEO of Thelo DB. Dutliff has extensive experience in the rail sector and outlines the vision of the business in Africa and South Africa. Thelo DB is an incorporated JV between, Thelo Ventures a 100% Black Owned South African company and Deutsche Bahn Engineering, Consulting and Operations which is a German-owned entity. Thelo DB’s focus is on Railways in Africa, with the aim of being the number one railway entity on the continent.

Nacala Logistics, Director of Operations, Gustavo Stein in a Coffee with the Editor, explains the recent progress made by Nacala Logistics, including, investments and line rehabilitation. The opening of the $5.5 Million Limbe Container Terminal, the partnership with C. Steinweg Bridge and what the future holds for the organisation and the further development in terms of connecting to neighbouring railways.

In this Coffee with the Editor, Refilwe Kunene – Strategic Programs Manager, GCEO office of the Passenger Rail Agency South Africa (PRASA), discusses their corridor recovery, network rehabilitation and the overall strategy that is being executed to deliver services. We discuss the impact of theft and vandalism, signalling, services in Cape Town, general challenges and the corridor roll-out plan among other items of interest including depots, to accommodate the new trains and bringing them into service. Our thanks to the PRASA communications team and Refilwe for taking the time to engage with us.

Unitrans Africa is a diversified contractual logistics company serving the needs of selected sub-Saharan African markets. A few months ago the company ventured into offering a dedicated rail link between Mozambique and Zimbabwe. In partnership with the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), Caminhos de Ferro de Mocambique (CFM) and Traxtion. In this Coffee with the Editor, Unitrans Africa’s CEO, Rob Hayworth, discusses their journey into rail, the service offering and what the future could hold. Enjoy.

Andrew Waller, CEO of Grindrod Limited, took a few minutes for a virtual Coffee with the Editor, following the announcement of Grindrod’s interim results for the 6-months ended 30 June 2021, on 27 August. Despite a tough year the company produced solid results. We discuss rail, leasing, the potential of open access, logistics and the recent reintroduction of locomotives in Sierra Leone, along with other items that focus on #rail and #Africa.

In this Coffee with the Editor, we catch up with Ronnie Ntuli, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Thelo DB, following the recent news that Thelo DB will manage, finance, build and operate a 450km railway corridor from the port of Pointe-Noire to the Mayoko Station in the Republic of Congo. With an estimated 100 million tonnes per annum! In addition, Ronnie shares his insight into the business, new appointments and his views on the rail industry. Enjoy.

This Coffee with the Editor, with Kevin Pillay, CEO of Siemens Mobility South Africa follows the article published in week 28 of Railways Africa Magazine titled, Significant Milestone Reached For PRASA’s Gauteng Signalling Project. Article: https://go.railwaysafrica.com/milestone-gauteng-signalling-project 76 of 88 stations have been completed so far and Kevin discusses why this is such a significant milestone, and what makes the next station, being Germiston so significant. In addition, we discuss the timeframe to completion, their commitment to executing the project, and some of the industry challenges being experienced at the moment. Enjoy.

James Holley, CEO of Traxtion, discusses two recent highlights for the company in this Coffee with the Editor. Firstly, the newly branded EURO4000’s that have entered service on the TAZARA line through the Calabash operation. James discusses the project and the logistics of getting the EURO4000’s to site, as well as, the value the new locomotives will bring to customers. Secondly, Traxtion is really excited to be part of Unitrans Africa’s journey into rail. The project scope includes the leasing and maintenance of GE C30 locomotives, which will be operated by the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ). James notes that Unitrans has a reputation for being a blue-chip service provider to their customers and have a reputation for delivering high-class logistics solutions that fits with Traxtion’s philosophy and that it has been wonderfully refreshing working with NRZ.

James Holley the CEO of Traxtion is also the chairperson of the African Rail Industry Association (ARIA). In a recent Coffee with the Editor, James takes a moment to give us an update on the association’s activities, specifically on the progress of the study for the practical implantation of third party access to the South African railway. This has been well supported by the various stakeholders. ARIA as an industry association is focused on supporting the future of the industry. It is important that structural reform for the railway sector backed by Operation Vulindlela is executed. #railway #africa #openaccess

CEO of TransNamib, Johny Smith, in this Coffee with the Editor, discusses his appointment as President of the Southern African Railway Association (SARA), and his agenda for Southern African rail operators for the next 12 months. The key being integration and a real push of the road-to-rail strategy for the Region. Johny also provides an update on TransNamib’s operations, projects and the recent award to Traxtion for four leased locomotives.

Railways Africa’s Coffee with the Editor is with Logan Naicker following the recent announcement of his appointment as the new CEO for Alstom Ubunye in South Africa. Logon discusses his time so far with the company, the continuous improvements at the Nigel based facility and what their next steps are. This is over-and-above meeting the supply requirements of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s rolling stock programme with Gibela, who are manufacturing the trains. Enjoy!

A brief Coffee with the Editor, with the Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Dikeledi Magadzi, following the inspection of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), Wolmerton maintenance depot in Pretoria North, Gauteng, with the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) Board. Whilst we discuss the state of the Wolmerton depot, we also touch on the current status of the station modernization programme, Public Private Participation through concession agreements, and the joint efforts between the Department of Transport, Transnet and the Department of Public Enterprises to bring about efficient railway operations in, South Africa. Last but not least, because it is youth month – we close off with a great message of encouragement for our youth and women in rail, enjoy!

As a brief background Trans Auas Express (TAE) founded in 1994, drafted a project proposal to the Ministry of Works and Transport in 1996 for the establishment of a rail commuter service between Windhoek and Rehoboth to address road accidents and fatalities. The road between Windhoek and Rehoboth road carries the highest number of commuters in Namibia on a daily basis. Rehoboth, situated 80km south of the capital has its highest percentage workforce employed in Windhoek due to the lack of employment opportunities in the town to cater for all. The proposal was received well by the then Minister of Works Late Hon. OV Plichta and he presented the proposal to cabinet where it was endorsed in March of 1998. A pre-feasibility study was commissioned by the Ministry of Works and Transport and Bicon Namibia Consulting Engineers was appointed to produce a study. In 2002 the study was released and concluded that the project would be feasible with all factors considered at that stage. After the passing of Hon. Plichta who was the main impetus, support for the project faded before a full feasibility study could be commissioned and as this sadly never happened the project was halted due to financial constraints. The project was however revived in November 2012 and talks with the Ministry of Works and Transport and Trans Namib were initiated. Since 2012 TAE has had various meetings with officials at the Ministry of Works and Transport, including three Ministers and their Permanent Secretaries, today known as Executive Directors and various departmental directors whom all have indicated support for the project. In 2018, upon advice received from Director of railways, TAE met with the PPP Unit of the Ministry of Finance who at the time indicated that Trans Namib needs to determine the position of all stakeholders in this project while at the same time indicating that there was no formal procedure on how to deal with unsolicited proposals. Trans Namib was subsequently engaged to determine the need for such a project and agreed that the need exists as was already agreed upon in 2014 when an NDA was signed with the national rail carrier. Based on recommendations, TAE in 2019 drafted a terms of reference which was provided to Trans Namib and once more engaged the PPP Unit, with the same outcome. Trans Auas Express has outlined its current stance on the project and provided it to all stakeholders: 1. TAE has a standing cabinet endorsement for the project obtained in 1998 2. TAE has invested in this project for a total period of 15 years not including the time the project was in remission 3. The Bicon pre-feasibility study indicates the project is feasible (2002) 4. Element Consulting Engineers (Cape Town), appointed by TAE prepared a feasibility summary at risk indicating the feasibility of the project (2015) and these findings were presented to Trans Namib and the Ministry of Works 5. A partnership proposal between Trans Namib and Trans Auas has been discussed 6. We have indicated that TAE will source 100% funding for this project with no expectation from Government or Trans Namib whilst further proposing a PPP with Trans Namib as rail custodian 7. This projects connects with the Urban Transport Masterplan 8. TAE wishes to make use of the current infrastructure available with the addition of a new station in Rehoboth and other trackside developments 9. The initial CAPEX of the project indicated by Element Consulting is N$ 570 million but excludes amendments to the initial proposal as well as the option to electrify the line using solar power which we intend to add to the new feasibility studies 10. TAE can source its own funding for preparation of pre-feasibility and feasibility studies as well as business plans and environmental impact assessments. 11. The potential for job creation for this projects is not only limited to permanent jobs but also thousands of part time jobs in the construction and other industries 12. The project also aims to minimize costs for the Roads Authority on road maintenance as the number of vehicles travelling on the road will be reduced as well as the MVA fund in terms of claims lodged against the fund for road accidents. 13. Trans Namib as the rail custodian can benefit through a shareholding agreement as well as additional agreements for maintenance on rolling stock and skills training. We are proud citizens of our country who have the interests of our people and our economy at heart. With investment interest on hand, Trans Auas Express has no doubt that this project will be beneficial to the country, its people and the economy. With all this pertinent and critical information, it is surprising that this project is not getting the necessary attention it deserves. Our hope is that this project will finally come to fruition in 2021 after more than two decades of investing resources. Bradley Ferreira Managing Director: SkyGro Industries Lead Project Manager: Trans Auas Express

This week's Coffee with the Editor is with Mesela Nhlapo, CEO of the African Rail Industry Association, previously known as the Railroad Association. It is a long Coffee with the Editor, so make yourself comfortable as we cover many topics. Including, the recently established third party open access working group, opinions on the recent SONA, concessions, localisation, designation, the railway manufacturing sector, policy, PRASA and railway opportunities in Africa. Enjoy!

Johny Smith - Chief Executive Officer - TransNamib Limited, talks to Railways Africa Magazine about the challenges brought by 2020 and what the plans are for 2021. Johny notes as do most, that 2020 has been a tough year, but the opportunities to look at and analyze their current situation and interrogate areas of improvement have been positive. The implementation of their business plan includes the process of overhauling 33 locomotives within their existing fleet and they are looking to procure 10 new locomotives. The procurement process is expected to begin early next year. The ultimate vision for TransNamib is to grow its freight volumes and revenue base. This starts with increasing volumes from manganese customers and connecting to their neighbours, specifically looking at moving freight from road-to-rail. The need to look at optimising and increasing volumes with current customers is key to their strategy as there is room for improvement. TransNamib is currently implementing a new operational system, replacing a system that is now more than 20 years old, and whilst being executed internally, this will lead to the next step such as executing the signalling project which has been on the cards for some time. The mining sector has not been negatively impacted by the pandemic aside from the initial lockdown aspect. From a passenger perspective, a few projects that have been put on hold this year, should restart in the new year. Of course, we had to ask, the potential additional private operators in Namibia? Enjoy the interview.

Although Leonard Makwinja role as CEO of Botswana Railways comes to an end soon, we really appreciate the time he made to go through the year that has been and the year ahead. We talk about the progress of railway projects, especially the Mmamabula-Lephalale line, which was announced in the mid-term review of the Governments National Development plan. We touch on their vision of internalising the maintenance of their rolling stock and the skills that need to be developed. This will add tremendous value to their business by being able to overhaul their own locomotives. We also discuss projects that were put on hold this year, including the signalling project, which was impacted by funding and the pandemic. Passenger services which have been suspended for some time looks set to be part of the 2021 revival, with a bit of luck! We do hope you enjoy and we wish Leonard all the best for his next chapter!

Acting CEO of the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), Ms Tshepo Kgare in a Coffee with the Editor, discusses key highlights from the recently released State of Safety report. While theft and vandalism has had the greatest impact on the number of incidents, the biggest area of concern is around the safety of people, especially as we start trying to attract people back to rail. Personal safety will need to be addressed. The RSR is conducting research to be better placed, to provide the correct mitigation or approach to these issues. Another topic of concern is the increase in incidents as a result of people accessing the station, which talks to fare evasion and this obviously has a broader impact especially financially. The Minister of Transport has published the regulations on railway reserves which places an obligation on the operator to maintain and protect their railway reserves and will encourage partnerships with municipalities especially with it comes to spatial planning. Whilst the report looks at 2019/2020, it ends before the Covid shutdown, it will be interesting to see what the 2020/21 report will look like. Tshepo, discusses PRASA’s staged return to operations and the role the RSR has played. Then of course we talk about the role of RSR and open access! It is wonderful to hear the proactive steps that the RSR has taken to ensure that when open access comes in, that not only is the RSR prepared but that safety and associated risk as well as who is responsible for what, will be clearly understood. Enjoy. Railway Safety Regulator Release Railway Safety Statistics For 2019/20: https://www.railwaysafrica.com/news/railway-safety-regulator-release-railway-safety-statistics-for-2019-20 #Rail #Safety #SouthAfrica