National passenger rail policy
Limited information HALTED: We stopped tracking this reform at end-June 2025. We do not believe there will be a specific policy for passenger rail. The White Paper on the National Rail Policy (2022) also focuses on passenger rail.
read more >>Devolution of Commuter Rail Strategy
Prasa’s centralised model has underperformed, prompting the 2022 National Rail Policy to support municipal devolution. Originally scheduled for completion by 2024, the strategy has been delayed continuously and no draft version exists.
read more >>Remove quasi regulatory function from Transnet entities (eg, TNPA)
As there is currently no regulatory body overseeing the transport sector, Transnet self-regulates, developing and self-enforcing rules agreed on for the mutual benefit of members. This type of quasi-regulation may also be used as a vehicle to set prices, permit access or restrict certain practices, butit usually lacks governmental backing. Government has not proposed any…
read more >>Establish independent infrastructure manager
TRIM is an interim structure and not yet a permanent and fully independent entity. It currently operates under Transnet Group but is tasked with facilitating open access to the rail network, including granting access to third-party train operators, which is a significant step towards rail sector reform and market liberalisation. TRIM is currently listed as…
read more >>Rail Network Statement
Transnet (TRIM) published the final Network Statement on 19 December 2024. HALTED: We stopped tracking this reform at end-June 2025 and have merged into a related reform, “Enable open access to the freight rail network”.
read more >>DoT private sector participation unit
The PSP framework is still being developed. The department is in the final stages of concluding a memorandum of agreement with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and National Treasury, appointing DBSA as the hosting institution for the unit. HALTED: We stopped tracking this specific reform at end-June 2025 and merged it into a…
read more >>Third party rail access
TRIM opened rail slot applications for potential train operating companies and companies seeking access to the rail network between December 2024 and February 2025. TRF’s first attempt at allowing third-party access to its rail freight assets failed in 2023 after contract negotiations proved too complex.
read more >>Port concessioning – Durban
To address the poorly performing Durban port, particularly Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2, the Department of Transport and Transnet’s operations divisions (Transnet National Ports Authority and Transnet Port Terminals) need to partner with a private terminal operator to upgrade the terminal. The DCT Pier 2 is Transnet’s largest container terminal. The tender to finalise…
read more >>National Rail Master Plan
After the release of the freight logistics roadmap, the National Rail Master Plan aims to set out a sustainable approach to strategic rail network planning and a long-term plan that informs future developments of rail in the country. The final National Rail Master Plan was expected to be delivered by October 2025.
read more >>Road to rail strategy
The FRRMP is a strategy that will lay out a road map of how government plans to shift cargo back to rail in the near future. A strategy framework has been accepted but not yet made public. However, funding gaps remain stark: government spends R42.4bn on roads but only R7bn on rail each year, leaving…
read more >>Establish Interim Rail Economic Regulatory Capacity (IRERC)
The IRERC has been established through a memorandum of understanding between the ministers of transport and public enterprises. It has demonstrated significant momentum, successfully managing the consultation process on Transnet’s Draft Network Statement published in March 2024. The final Network Statement was approved and published in December 2024, with differentiated rail access tariffs for the…
read more >>Establish Transport Economic Regulator
The Economic Regulation of Transport Act 6 of 2024 was signed into law by President Ramaphosa on 11 June 2024, providing the legal foundation for the Transport Economic Regulator. The act establishes the TER as a public entity with comprehensive powers to regulate pricing, monitor tariffs and ensure transparency across the transport sector. However, the…
read more >>Develop National Rail Bill
The Department of Transport aims to draft a National Rail Bill. This will be an important piece of legislation to oversee all aspects of rail reform. HALTED: We stopped tracking this specific reform at end-June 2025 and merged it with a similar reform, “Finalise the National Rail Bill to establish a legal framework for a…
read more >>Transnet rail network security
The South African Railway Police force, established in 1934, was dissolved and integrated into the South African Police Service in October 1986. Theft and sabotage of railway lines, copper and other equipment have plagued Transnet and contributed significantly to the dysfunctionality of both cargo and passenger rail routes. The freight logistics roadmap calls for the…
read more >>Transnet Freight Rail scheduling system
TFR historically relied on tonnage-based dispatching, running trains only when sufficient traffic accumulated, which disrupted efficient utilisation of crews, locomotives and equipment while yielding inconsistent transit times. The concept of fixed scheduling was introduced on certain corridors in 2011, but comprehensive system-wide implementation remains part of ongoing efforts to modernise. After an extensive RFP process,…
read more >>TNPA corporatisation
Mandated by the National Ports Act of 2005, corporatisation has stalled for nearly 20 years. President Ramaphosa revived it in June 2021, with a target for completion by April 2025, but TNPA reported further delays to the Ports Regulator, citing concerns over Transnet’s financial stability. A ministerial Task Team is now working on a plan…
read more >>Establish interim infrastructure manager
Transnet Freight Rail, an operating division of Transnet, is being broken up into the Transnet Freight Rail Operating Company (TFROC) and Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM). For TRIM, an interim IM has been established. This is a big step towards open rail access. One of the commercial objectives of the interim IM is to increase…
read more >>Finalise the Network Statement
The final Network Statement setting out technical, operational and commercial rules for rail access was published on 20 December 2024 following extensive consultation and the promulgation of the Economic Regulation of Transport Act (ERT Act). Revisions in February 2025 clarified capacity allocation and transformation principles, opening all slots with over 209Mt of capacity available to…
read more >>Establish the private sector participation (PSP) unit
The PSP Unit was mandated by the Rail Private Sector Participation Framework, adopted by Cabinet in December 2023. An interim unit has been established and is currently hosted by the DBSA, with a permanent arrangement being finalised. The unit has issued RFIs for opportunities in five priority rail and port corridors in March 2025. These…
read more >>Identify and pursue appropriate PSP models for the rail network
The Freight Logistics Roadmap, alongside the White Paper on National Rail Policy, explicitly embraces a mix of PSP models: open access, concessions and investment partnerships, with the aim of unlocking capital and operational expertise. Current RFIs aim to gather market input on the most viable concession models for different corridors and assets. The Pier 2…
read more >>National Rail Bill
The White Paper on National Rail Policy (2022) was developed and gazetted for implementation in 2022. The Economic Regulation of Transport (ERT) Act, which was signed into law in June 2024, has not been fully enacted. The White Paper sets a 2050 vision for a competitive, integrated and sustainable rail system, calling for third-party access,…
read more >>Pathway to 250Mt in rail volumes
The 193Mt served as an internal ‘stretch target’ beyond the official 170Mt goal for 2024/25. Transnet moved 161Mt by March 2025, showing progress from the 151.7Mt achieved in 2023/24. However, performance remains well below the 193MT stretch target and even the 170MT official target and, despite gradual recovery, remains well behind the record 226Mt in…
read more >>Corridor recovery teams
Corridor recovery teams (CRTs) have been established, which include Transnet’s managing executives, Operation Vulindlela, the Department of Public Enterprises, industry representatives and independent experts. These teams have developed delivery plans with specific actions and timeframes to achieve targeted freight volume increases. The CRTs are tasked to develop a detailed delivery plan to improve safety and security as…
read more >>Trannsnet Freight Rail rolling stock
TFR has experienced significant locomotive availability challenges, with 394 new generation locomotives standing idle due to derailments, collisions and a shortage of spare parts after the withdrawal of the OEM agreement. Since May 2024, Transnet Engineering has successfully returned 86 of these locomotives to service after securing support from alternative suppliers in Germany. The locomotive…
read more >>Freight logistics roadmap
The Fright Logistics Roadmap (FLR), approved by cabinet in December 2023, is being implemented by the National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC) with corridor-specific teams. The newly established Transnet Rail Infrastructure Management (TRIM) has published a Network Statement, introduced a slot process and deployed recovery teams. The Department of Transport’s PSP Unit has been established as…
read more >>Transnet board’s recovery plan
National Treasury has supported Transnet’s board recovery plan by issuing over R150bn in guarantees since 2023. These guarantees are tied to strict reform conditions, including private sector participation, asset disposals and the corporatisation of key infrastructure entities. The recovery plan focuses on tactical priorities such as volume recovery, equipment reliability, maintenance and asset quality. While…
read more >>Rail access: TRIM tariffs
Transnet has finalised its network access pricing methodology for 2024/25, introducing a two-part tariff structure based on train-kilometres and gross-tonne kilometres, with differentiated rates by commodity and corridor. The final Network Statement and approved tariffs were published in December 2024 after public consultation and ministerial approval. However, the proposed tariff increases for 2025/26 are significant…
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