The impressive total achieved in December 2011 was largely cattributed to improved deliveries of coal by Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), whose performance during the second half of 2011 has been applauded. By comparison with 435 coal trains from Mpumalanga reaching Richards Bay in June, no less than 761 did so in December.

Less than a month ago, in mid-January, Railways Africa reported: “Dismayed commuters who have been inconvenienced yet again by striking Gautrain bus drivers – the second time in three months and the fifth strike in a year – say the service is becoming unpredictable and unreliable and feel they are not getting their money’s worth. Providing the premium rail and connecting bus service has cost around R30 billion to date – a sizable slice coming from the taxpayer – and fares are not cheap. Unused trip values on multi-journey tickets are not refunded. Daily passengers have lost count of the number of times trains have failed due to power problems and the line to Park station will be a year behind schedule if it opens in March. Speaking for the Bombela Concession company, Kelebogile Machaka explains that the drivers’ latest demand is for transport from their residences to work.”

Mozambican transport minister Paulo Zucula has told the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, that the Ressano Garcia line from Maputo to South Africa now has the capacity to carry 14 million tonnes of traffic a year, including five million tonnes of South African coal and magnetite for export from Maputo.

For the first time, trains now carry motor vehicles along this line. Previously, vehicles imported by Mozambique were unloaded at the South African port of Durban and taken by road to Maputo. Now the situation has been reversed: large ships can dock in Maputo, thanks to the dredging of the access channel, and so vehicles are unloaded in Maputo – not only for Mozambique, but also for the northern regions of South Africa, reaching their destination along the Ressano Garcia line. The Maputo-Swaziland line has been rebuilt, and is carrying passengers with greater comfort, speed and safety. From Beira, regular passenger trains are operating again to Marromeu (on the south bank of the Zambezi) and coal exports are moving along the Sena line from Moatize in Tete province to the port.

Zucula admitted there had been no improvement in the Limpopo line, linking Beira to Zimbabwe, which had been concessioned to the Indian companies Rites and Ircon International. This deal has been cancelled and CFM is to upgrade the line itself.

Expanding capacity further at TCM is the subject of a current feasibility study. Investment of about $US 800 million in both port and rail infrastructure is envisaged.