‘Regional rail network needs cross-border regulator’

Africa should be encouraged
to develop rail networks across
countries and regions, as it will
benefit its trade immensely,
according to experts at the
AfricaRail 2011 conference
held in Sandton recently.
Tim Lehman of Deutsche
Bahn International in Germany
told delegates that the secret to
success lay in ensuring an open
and transparent network that
was managed by a cross-border
regulator who set the rules of
the game and ensured everyone
had an equal chance in the
market.
According to Martin
Fleetwood of the United
Kingdom Rail Working Group,
it’s all about getting the right
levels of regulation. “There
is without doubt a need for
economic regulation in South
Africa. In Europe we have
policy that covers the entire EU
and that is then stepped down
to each individual country. That
is what ensures a level playing
field.”
Mike Karakadzai, CEO
of the National Railways of
Zimbabwe, said it was possible
to achieve this in southern
Africa, as the building blocks
were all there.
“I think the South African
Railway Association is working
very hard towards building
a platform where we can
harmonise standards and share
resources across our region, but
we have some way to go before
we are there.”
With many agreeing the only
way forward is a standardised,
integrated regional railway, its
delivery remains problematic.
“In Africa you must
have political buy-in and
commitment otherwise there
is no point in even trying to
move forward,” said Norbert
Lubanda, CEO of the Congo
National Railways in the DRC.
“Our biggest challenges lie in
harmonising our systems and
upgrading our infrastructure.”
Historically there has been
no maintenance or investment
in the continent’s rail network,
with some rolling stock as old
as 60-80 years. Karakadzai
commented that 37 years was
still new for rolling stock
operating in the sub-Saharan
region.
“One of the major issues is
that many private companies
are far more interested in the
material being removed from
the ground than in playing
any role whatsoever in what is
moving that very product,” said
Lubanda.
“We have to work towards
a system that separates
operations and infrastructure,
where there is open access
for private operators to
function but with a common
regulatory system that can
create an integrated railways
where funds can be generated
to upgrade and maintain our
infrastructure.”