Trans Kalahari Corridor shifts focus to rail

Much of the development along the Trans Kalahari Corridor (TKC) is aimed at increasing the movement of minerals in and out of southern Africa. According to Oscar Muyatwa, CEO of the Trans Kalahari Corridor Group, they are now hard at work developing the rail link along the corridor after years of investment in the road infrastructure. “Our idea is to link the coal reserves in southern Africa to the Port of Walvis Bay while at the same time attracting other minerals being mined in the region,” he said. “Namibia has major oil and gas prospects, with a number of foreign-based companies already prospecting for oil off the Namibian West Coast. We are in the process of linking a new manganese mine that is planning to use the corridor quite extensively.” He said the focus on minerals made the development of the rail network top priority. “Our road infrastructure is fantastic but many of the minerals we are targeting are bulk commodities moving over long distances and are therefore better suited to rail.” He said they were also in talks with Botswana authorities promoting the TKC as an option for the transport of export coal. “The building of a new Namibian port, not far from the Port of Walvis Bay, is also being investigated by the government as indications are that as the mining sector develops and more minerals are exported, another port will be a necessity,” said Muyatwa. “The geographic footprint of our region will be redefined in the future as growth takes place and countries start working together to get their goods to market at cost-effective prices. Already Zambia and Botswana are looking at putting up a bridge between the two countries to facilitate the movement of cargo. I think the way we do business in the sub region is continuously growing and changing.” He said the ultimate goal of a corridor such as the TKC was to bring about a reduction in the cost of doing business. “We have to grow corridor traffic and business by implementing transport programmes that make it easy to move one’s cargo, while at the same time also ensuring Customs and transit facilitation programmes are in place.” CAPTION Oscar Muyatwa … ‘New port under investigation.’