Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (Trim) has announced that it has issued siding lease requests for proposals (RFPs), covering nine rail siding facilities located across the eastern and central regions.
This marks another milestone in the rail company’s open market programme aimed at unlocking value from South Africa’s rail infrastructure and expanding access to strategic siding facilities.
The issuing of the latest requests for proposals comes after an earlier batch of siding lease RFPs, which included three siding facilities in the eastern and central regions.
According to Trim, proposals must include comprehensive infrastructure upgrades to enhance operational efficiency and enable seamless road-to-rail integration. These upgrades may include rail-line refurbishment, loading and handling facilities, drainage systems, lighting and security enhancements and fencing and access roads. Successful bidders will be awarded leases for a minimum period of 10 years, with clear performance and investment commitments tied to the lease term.
Trim said operators would be required to demonstrate measurable improvements in turnaround times and overall logistics efficiency. The commercial framework is based on market-related rental structures, designed to ensure fair value while preserving the long-term sustainability of the assets.
Trim chief executive Moshe Motlohi said this batch of RFPs underscored the company’s ongoing commitment to transparent, market-based access to critical rail assets.
“By enabling private sector participation in siding operations, we are advancing a more efficient, competitive and integrated freight logistics system for South Africa,” Motlohi said.
The move aligns with the National Rail Policy (2022) and the Freight Logistics Roadmap (2023), reinforcing Trim’s mandate to commercialise rail assets in a responsible, transparent and sustainable manner, while upholding the highest standards of safety, compliance and network integrity.
Bidders will engage through a transparent, market-based process to access Trim’s rail sidings under a regulated framework. The bid submission deadline is May 28, 2026.
Interested parties can access the full RFP documents and submission details via the official Transnet procurement platforms, including the National Treasury e-Tender portal: https://www.etenders.gov.za/
