Another step forward for Swazi-SA rail line

Swaziland Railway is
awaiting a directive from
government to proceed
with the construction phase
of a new rail line linking
Swaziland to South Africa in
the West.
This after a feasibility
report was submitted to
cabinet at the close of last year.
The western line under
development in partnership
with Transnet Freight Rail
(TFR) will allow for rail
cargo transport directly from
Gauteng to Maputo in the east
and Richards Bay in the south
via Swaziland.
“We submitted the report
in December 2015. Now
we are waiting for the way
forward from our owners.
The feasibility report was
completed around the second
half of 2015,” said Vusi
Makhubu, chief finance officer
for Swaziland Railway.
Transnet’s portion of the
new rail line from Lothair in
Mpumalanga to the Swazi
border is about 54 kilometres
and the Swaziland portion
from the border to Sidvokodvo
in Manzini district is about
94 kilometres. The new line
is scheduled for completion in
2021.