More equipment will create 13000 new jobs at Spoornet

Ray Smuts IT’S all about the expected swing from more costly road to rail transportation and Spoornet is poised to do the business by investing R88 billion to ensure it moves up to 227 million tons of cargo over the next 15 years. This was the word from Transnet chief executive Mafika Mkwanazi at last week’s 8th National Maritime Conference in Cape Town. He also made clear more equipment - including locomotives to the tune of R20 billion - makes for more job opportunities, estimated between 13 000 and 15 000 over the next ten to 15 years. Anand Moodliar, manager for client service and general cargo activity, said while Spoornet was responsible for up to 59,8% (110,5 million tons) of cargo moving through South African ports, insufficient capital expenditure was one of the main factors in service delivery-related problems. Spoornet had 1 900 locomotives and 65 000 wagons in 2002/03 but in order to handle the growth in cargo volumes is will require 2 070 locomotives and 73 000 wagons by 2007/8.