Can SA take Govt’s $121bn trains strategy seriously?
LATE last month, South Africa’s department of transport released for public comment its draft national master plan to revitalise, modernise and expand South Africa’s rail system,…
Court orders Chinese firm to release train parts to Transnet
A SOUTH African court has ordered China’s CRRC E-Loco to release locomotive spares withheld from Transnet in a long-running contract dispute, said Reuters citing comments made by…
Kumba recoups R942m in take-or-pay penalties from Transnet
KUMBA Iron ore said on Tuesday it had received R942m in ‘take-or-pay’ penalties following “lengthy” negotiations with Transnet regarding the under-delivery of contracted iron…
Anglo CEO says door not closed on Transnet concession deal
CONCESSIONING South Africa’s rail infrastructure was not off the table, said Anglo American CEO Duncan Wanblad. Transnet, the state-owned rail and ports company, has rejected…
Exxaro to retain up to R15bn in net cash for dealmaking
EXXARO Resources expected to retain up to R15bn in net cash to fund diversification plans which it said previously were focused on manganese in South Africa. Commenting in its…
SA’s coal exporters are now buying spare parts for Transnet’s locomotives to boost railages
The Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) is buying spare parts to maintain Transnet’s locomotives as part of the coal industry co-operation effort to improve coal exports. This was…
Kumba to cut up to 490 jobs in line with reduced iron ore output
KUMBA Iron Ore said on Tuesday about 490 jobs were under threat in terms of a restructuring of the business in which cost savings of R2.5bn to R3bn had been targeted. The…
Thungela desperately needs Transnet to lift its game this year
SOUTH Africa’s coal producers desperately need an improvement in exports this year. The likelihood of this happening though is doubtful. Export coal sales through Richards Bay…
Exxaro confirms no lift in coal exports despite helping TFR
EXXARO Resources said it expected to conclude the sale of its ferroalloys operations by the middle of next year having previously identified it as non-core. The 12,000 tons a…
Transnet seeking R50bn for mission critical capex
TRANSNET needs at least R50bn in funding to eradicate the current maintenance backlog on its rail network and to restore it to its full capacity. According to Bessie Mabunda,…
Kumba Iron Ore sales fall 12% in Q3 amid port breakdowns
IRON ore sales in the third quarter fell 12% year-on-year to 8.9 million tons (Mt), said Kumba Iron Ore, the Anglo American-owned company. This was owing to “multiple equipment…
SA chrome exports via Mozambique to increase 23%, says Transnet
TRANSNET Freight Rail (TFR), a division of South Africa’s government-owned port and rail firm Transnet, is to increase chrome and ferrochrome exports to Mozambique’s Maputo port…
Exxaro continues to build up cash ahead of decisions on diversification
Exxaro revenues and profits took a beating in the six months to end-June as expected but the group remains in good shape overall thanks in no small part to its tight-fisted…
Froneman confident of breakthrough in battle against crime and corruption
NEAL Froneman, CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater sounded a bullish note on a joint committee on crime and corruption which he heads saying cooperation with the South African government…
Richards Bay terminal operator resumes after Transnet Ports lifts work stop
TRANSNET National Ports Authority (TNPA) announced over the weekend the resumption of a terminal operator at Richards Bay port. The unnamed operator had been suspended earlier in…
Transnet warns of truck congestion at Richards Bay after operator suspended
TRANSNET National Ports Authority (TNPA) said today a terminal operator at its Richards Bay facility had been shut down leading to congestion of truck deliveries. The operator…
Coal exports to be higher in 2023 as industry collaboration gathers pace – Transnet
TRANSNET said its freight division was “well on track” to exceed coal exports for its 2022/23 financial year of 48.7 million tons (Mt) in the current year owing to collaboration…
Exxaro books another six months of logistical constraint with coal sales down 7%
ANOTHER stuttering performance from state-owned entities Eskom and Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) in the first half of 2023 has capped the ability of Exxaro, one of South Africa’s…
TFR reports new derailment on iron ore line
A NEW derailment on the Sishen-Saldanha rail route is preventing deliveries of iron ore for export, said Transnet’s freight rail business unit (TFR). “TFR confirms that urgent…
Transnet may bring iron ore locos back to service
TRANSNET CEO Portia Derby said the state-owned company was close to signing maintenance contracts that would return locomotives to service deemed critical in supplying South…