‘Road versus rail turf battle is over’

The road versus rail fight in South Africa has finally come to an end with all role-players not only realising that the high cost of transport needs be addressed, but actively engaging in discussion to reach this goal. Speaking at last week’s Transport Forum in celebration of Transport Month, Gavin Kelly, technical and operations manager of the Road Freight Association (RFA), said the vicious turf battle was over and in its place there was agreement about the need to understand how the different modes can work together. “There is no doubt they have to work together,” he told the wellattended meeting. “We are not in competition with road freight,” said Tony Muizenheimer of Transnet. “We are talking to them to ensure that specific commodities suited for rail go back to rail.” Kelly agreed, saying that some things needed to be on rail and others on road. “And that is a good thing and how it should be. We are not saying we want to keep all freight on road. Yes, rail is far cheaper than road in many instances, but trucks can go to places where rail can’t. The two need to work in conjunction with each other.” Delegates and speakers agreed it would take time to achieve these goals. But, said Dr Jan Havenga of the University of Stellenbosch, who has done much research into the cost of moving freight, the role-players have turned a corner. “We are finally at a place where the two competing entities are no longer at each other’s throats, but have come together to talk. It is time to be mature and work together. It is not road versus rail, but road and rail moving South Africa.”