According to the South African media, state-owned Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) is currently conducting a feasibility study for a coal railroad linking South Africa and the Mmamabula coalfields. The study is expected to be completed by the end of the current financial year, paving way for a rail project that has been seen by industry sources as an attempt to undermine Botswana's ambitious plans to build its own railroad either through Namibia or Mozambique.
"Currently there is no rail infrastructure that crosses from Lephalale into Botswana, the idea is to build the link near the Stockpoort border post to link to Mahalapye or further south to link to Mmamabula," Transnet Freight Rail executive manager of planning, Deidre Strydom told Reuters last week. The rail link, which would have a capacity of 80-million tonnes a year when complete, is expected to form part of SA's heavy-haul expansion in Limpopo's Waterberg coalfields to bring coal from Botswana for export. The line would run from the southern end of the Waterberg reserve to the northern side of the Botswana-run network to open the Mmamabula coalfields, and possibly the reserves located across the Zimbabwean border.
