ACCORDING to Moshe Motlohi, chief executive of Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM), ninety-eight applications have already been received from private operators wanting to move freight on Transnet’s rail network.
Motlohi was addressing a rail stakeholder event hosted by Investec. The TRIM, which Motlohi heads is responsible for the development, maintenance, provision, and management of access to the Transnet rail network, ensuring it’s safe, efficient, and meets user needs. All rail operators, including Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) should be allowed fair access to the rail network, managed by TRIM.
Motlohi said that allowing third-party private access to Transnet’s rail infrastructure was new territory for the country and that stakeholders were working together to make the process succeed. He said that being a ‘listening’ company, Transnet had extended the deadline for slot applications until 28 April 2025. He said when they had been asked to open up more slots and more corridors than the initial five, they had made more available.
It is an encouraging message that people are interested, Motlohi said of the many applications. “It shows that we have done the right thing because the economy has responded positively.”
He said the TRIM had been very transparent about the state of Transnet’s infrastructure that needs attention so that people who bid understand exactly the condition of the network. An assessment of the state of the network had been done with private sector players resulting in a base of agreement as to what needs to be done.
He said Transnet had been transparent regarding its inability to fund a programme to fix the rail infrastructure itself. He said it put them in a difficult space of saying, do you want higher tariffs for moving forward? :The market does not like it. But, with a railway, even 500m of not having a railway, means the 1,000 km of having a good railway come to nought,” he said.
