Afreximbank confirms interest in Mmamabula-Lephalale funding
Friday, April 18, 2025 | 680 Views |
Aiming high: Botswana Railways is advancing several regional rail linkages, including the Mmamabula-Lephalale line
The link will run for about 120 kilometres from Mmamabula to Lephalale in Limpopo, before linking up with existing lines to run to Richard's Bay port terminal, with a possible future expansion to Mozambique.
The latest available figures indicate that the initial phase would involve developing 7.8 million tonnes per annum capacity with the associated rolling stock leading an estimated cost of $627 million. The second phase would involve an expansion to 18 million tonnes per annum at a cost of $1.13 billion (P15.6 billion).
According to a report elsewhere in this publication, various district councils announced that a one-bedroom home now costs over P130,000 more, a near-unthinkable 32% increase. This isn't just a minor adjustment, but a devastating blow to the dream of affordable home ownership for ordinary citizens.What is most alarming is not just the scale of the increase, but the profound confusion it has exposed. Minister Ramogapi has publicly...