Botswana gets its rail plans on track

Recognising that railways have the capability to transform a country’s economy, Botswana Railways is investing heavily in improving efficiencies. Botswana Railways chief executive, Dominic Ntwaagae, told FTW that the company would take delivery of eight new locomotives by the end of this year and that the 562 wagons it had procured from Transnet Engineering last year were all now in service. He added that Botswana Railways had invested in US$100- million worth of signalling and communications equipment. “We are committed to ensuring a roadto- rail migration,” said Ntwaagae. He emphasised the importance of aligning the rail master plans of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states. “If we don’t ensure that the timing of our investments is coherent and part of a regional development plan, we won’t be able to grow intra-African trade, as our weakest rail links will hold us back,” he said.