Locomotive manufacturing facility in South Africa a first

The first locomotive propulsion and control manufacturing facility in Africa was recently officially opened in Johannesburg.

Speaking during the ceremony, Public Enterprises Director-General Richard Seleke said Bombardier set up the local locomotive propulsion facility as part of its commitment to supply 240 electric locomotives out of the 599 for Transnet. In April 2014, Transnet awarded Bombardier a contract for the supply of diesel and electric locomotives as part of a R50 billion contract.

The majority of the loco- motives are being built at Transnet Engineering’s plants in Koedoespoort in Pretoria and Edwin Swales in Durban.

The new 6 000 square metre facility in Johannesburg will produce Bombardier Mitrac high power propulsion equipment for use in the state-ofthe-art Transnet Locomotives project. The propulsion facility currently employs about 100 people and this number is expected to increase to 200 by next year.

“Transnet’s successful partnership with Bombardier should position our country as a regional hub for further development and growth so that we can expand our businesses into the rest of the African continent,” Seleke said.

Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama said the opening of the propulsions and controls manufacturing facility was a boost for manufacturing in South Africa. “The successful partnership with Bombardier serves a crucial purpose in enhancing and embedding our Market Demand Strategy,” Gama said.

The Market Demand Strategy is aimed at strengthening South Africa’s logistics backbone and positioning the country’s supply chains to better compete in global terms.

– SAnews.gov.za