Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has invited the private sector to partner with Transnet to revive KwaZulu-Natal’s rail corridors as well as the ports of Durban and Richards Bay. In March 2025, Creecy opened an online Request for Information (RFI) portal. She told the media that the purpose of this was “to develop an enabling environment for private sector participation and enhanced investment in rail and port infrastructure and operations”.“As you are all aware,” said Creecy, speaking at the launch of the portal project, “South Africa’s rail and port infrastructure faces substantial challenges, including declining performance; theft and vandalism; under-investment; and operational inefficiencies. All these hinder trade and economic growth.” Creecy cited the completion of order-of-magnitude Independent Technical Assessments (ITAs) in 2024 for the export coal rail network from Mpumalanga mines to the Port of Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal, in partnership with the private sector.She said potential funders were being engaged to conduct similar ITAs for the greater Rustenburg chrome corridor to the Port of Richards Bay, “and the vital intermodal corridor between Gauteng and the Port of D urba n”.The RFI includes the Intermodal Supply Chain PSP Project, which focuses on the container and automotive sectors. It includes the port, container and automotive port terminals, back-of-port arrangements, and railway and inland terminals for the Gauteng-Durban corridor.The Limpopo and Mpumalangato Richards Bay bulk minerals corridor project for coal and chrome exports makes provision for magnetite exports.“This includes the full pit-to-port rail, port and terminal infrastructure and equipment supporting coal exports from mines in Lephalale, Limpopo; chrome exports from the Western Limb mines in the Rustenburg-Brits region in North West; and coal exports from various mines across Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal to the Port of Richards Bay,” said Creecy.“Particular attention is given to the Bayvue precinct, where non-RBCT (Richards Bay Coal Terminal) coal, chrome and magnetite are handled through the dry bulk and multi-purpose terminals, and to the back-of-port arrangements.” ER
