Rail fleet upgrade presents private sector opportunity

Aged, unreliable and expensive rail and ports systems are among the main challenges facing the South African manufacturing industry, according to the government’s Economic Sectors and Employment Cluster 2010/11 – 2012/13 Industrial Policy Action Plan. The upgrading of the fleet of “locomotives, coaches and carriages related to Transnet and PRASA rolling stock programmes” has been identified as a key opportunity for local manufacturing. Government tendering processes will be amended to support the development or revival of the local public transport assembly and manufacturing sectors, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.