SA-Botswana railway link to benefit coal exports
Discussions around this project began more than 10 years ago following a concept study that suggested that the most viable option to unlock the coal reserves from Botswana would be through the construction of this rail link
A RAILWAY link between South Africa and Botswana will open freight logistics channels for exports via Maputo in Mozambique and the Richards Bay port.
This as Botswana Railways and Transnet SOC Ltd resumed talks at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town last week relating to the construction of a heavy haul railway line that links the two countries via Lephalale in Limpopo.
Discussions around this project began more than 10 years ago following a concept study that suggested that the most viable option to unlock the coal reserves from Botswana would be through the construction of this rail link.
Chairperson of Botswana Railways, Adolph Hirschfeld, and Transnet Chairperson Dr Popo Molefe agreed that a Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) between the two countries will cement collaboration that will see up to 80 million tons of coal per annum from Botswana railed for export and domestic use.
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Once the MOU is signed by both governments, a joint steering committee and a project team will be established to launch the project.
Speaking on behalf of Transnet, Molefe said the state-owned enterprise is ready to collaborate to make this project a success.
‘We will ensure that the South African railway system is capacitated to support both the unlocking of Waterberg (Limpopo) and Botswana coal reserves,’ Molefe said.
Botswana coal reserves are estimated at 212 billion tons.
Other projects in support of this programme include the upgrade of the electrical infrastructure on the heavy haul coal system and the construction of the second tunnel at Overvaal in Mpumalanga, among others.
‘The railway link from Botswana to South Africa is one of the strategic initiatives that will transform the economy of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
‘We welcome the partnership with Transnet in making this a reality,’ Hirschfeld said.
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