Rail industry stakeholders have until July 24 to comment on Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager's (TRIM) draft Network Statement Version 4, which sets out the terms and conditions governing access to South Africa's national rail network.
The Department of Transport formally invited written submissions on the draft statement in a Government Gazette notice published last week.
The draft Network Statement forms part of government's rail reform programme to open the national rail network to third-party access and allow private train operating companies to operate alongside Transnet Freight Rail. The Network Statement sets out the framework governing access to the rail network, including infrastructure capacity, access conditions, operational requirements and processes applicable to train operators seeking access to the network.
The consultation follows earlier stakeholder engagements on Network Statement Version 3, during which TRIM identified several issues still to be finalised for the next Network Statement. These included applications by train operating companies and cargo owners, capacity assessments at port and inland terminals, a penalty framework, operational flexibility, sidings, electricity charges, force majeure, guarantees and compliance requirements.
It also comes after the first rail slot allocation process, which resulted in 11 private train operating companies being approved to operate across 41 routes on six freight corridors. The operators are expected to begin operating from April 2027 and contribute about 20 million tonnes of additional freight to the rail network annually.
