New rail line will pose challenges
Transnet consultants warn against a new 570km rail network impact.
TRANSNET Freight Rail’s (TFR) proposal for a new 570km rail network, which will directly link Davel in Mpumalanga with Richards Bay via Swaziland, is running full steam ahead.
But the community will bear the brunt of the development’s impacts.
With the aim to relieve the congested Ermelo-Richards Bay heavy-haul corridor, the 1 067mm-gauge line will primarily be used by general freight traffic, although its 26-tonne axle loads could permit the operation of heavy-haul coal trains if required.
The massive project, in collaboration with Swaziland Railway, is expected to see construction start from the Mpumalanga side in the second quarter of next year.
It is expected to create 3 400 construction jobs with socio-economic benefits worth more than R2-billion.
However, ‘Swazi Rail Link’ is still in its environmental impact assessment (EIA) phase with consultant Aurecon hosting meetings with stakeholders to address any potential harms structural work on the rail lines may pose on communities living close to its tracks.
‘The most significant potential impacts identified are undoubtedly from a social perspective and how the construction, upgrading and operation of the railway line will affect the local residents,’ said Aurecon Environmental Consultant Candice Durr.
Durr said the social impacts are both positive and negative varying from job creation and boosting the regional economy to risks of conflict caused by a population influx and emerging spontaneous informal settlements.
‘Mitigation measures include provisions for making use of local labour as far as possible by liasing with community leaders to identify the local labour pool.
‘Providing training or skills enhancements for local people, before construction starts, to allow them to benefit from higher wages during construction and to improve their potential for similar work in future, is also proposed.’
To avoid disruption and conflict, the consultants also advised Transnet to establish a ‘Community Safety Committee’ to monitor and control illegal squatting.
‘All social investment strategies must also be aligned with municipal development.
‘And a condition in the contract should be included stating construction workers must be vacated from the area once construction is completed,’ said Durr.
A focus group meeting has been scheduled for 23 April at the Mondi Umfolozi Office in KwaMbonambi between noon and 2pm.
Swaliland Rail Link’s EIA report is available for download on www.aurecongroup.com by clicking on the public participation tab and registering as a user to view the project.
The comment period for the report has been extended to 14 May.
