Transnet to link up heavyhaul line with Botswana

RAIL AND FREIGHT logistics giant Transnet yesterday announced that it had revived talks with Botswana Railways for the potential construction of the heavy-haul railway line in Lephalale, Limpopo, that links the two countries in Lephalale.

Transnet spokesperson Molatwane Likhethe said the discussions around the project date back more than 10 years following a concept study that suggested that the most viable option to unlock the coal reserves from Botswana would be through the construction of this railway link.

A number of Transnet railway expansion programmes which will feed into the construction of the Botswana rail network are at an execution stage, while others are at advanced planning stages, including the upgrade of the railway line from Lephalale in Limpopo to Pyramid South in Pretoria. This particular programme, which is in the construction phase, is a step towards unlocking Waterberg and