The Civil Engineering Contractor April 2019 | Page 23

FEATURE: INFRASTRUCTURE
network is owned by Transnet,
of which 1 500km is for heavy
haul (for export of coal and iron
ore), about 12 801km (core-
network) for general freight
and the remainder branch lines
(National Rail Policy, 2017, pg
12). The overall condition of the
heavy-haul network ranges from
average to good. However, most
infrastructure disciplines are
performing adequately and, with
some upgrading, large volumes
can be accommodated to meet
increased demands.”
• 
C for general freight lines:
“The existing general freight
line network is generally in a
fair condition. However, poor
signalling and electrical-related
infrastructure along certain
sections are the main contributors
to section failures, and require
special attention. There has been
a steady increase (per train km)
www.civilsonline.co.za
in collisions, with some decrease
in derailments.”
• D- for branch lines: “The branch lines
are in a very poor state, with only
approximately 55% ‘operational’
— and even parts of this portion
are in disuse. The lack of provision
of rail services, maintenance
and investment in supporting
infrastructure to the branch-line
network has resulted in a significant
and increasing maintenance backlog
of track infrastructure, stations and
yards, and even theft of sections of
rail track.”
• D+ for passenger lines – PRASA:
“The general condition of the
PRASA passenger inter-city and
commuter rail (2 228 track-km)
network is fair. Signalling and
building structures, in particular,
are in a poor condition. Capital
investment projects are under
way to address the investment
backlog. Operational issues, such
as outdated equipment, theft,
arson and vandalism, also need to
be addressed in order to improve
poor operational performance and
an unreliable service. Mainline
passenger services have dropped
by more than half since 2010/11.”
• A for passenger lines – Gautrain.
The Auditor-General report of
2017/18 takes a less encouraging
view of PRASA’s performance.
It notes that since 2015, its fleet
has fallen to 174 from 288 today,
and only half of that have their full
complement of 12 carriages. Much
of the loss (80%) has been in the
Western Cape: 214 coaches have
been damaged in arson attacks
during the time, resulting in a
50% cut in daily rail passengers in
Cape Town since 2014.
Metrorail transported 542-million
passengers in 2013/14, a figure that
has fallen to 269 million in 2017/18.
Fana Marutla, an executive board
member of SAICE, as well as head of
business development, transportation
at GIBB Engineering, says logistics in
South Africa could be vastly improved
if strategic projects under SOEs were
to be immediately implemented —
budgets permitting.
He was the technical lead on the
Ermelo–Swaziland link to Richards
Bay (brownfield portion), a project
for which feasibility studies have been
completed by Transnet and Swaziland
Railways. “At present, the railway
industry and funding institutions
have been invited to support this
groundbreaking initiative through a
PPP solution,” says Marutla.
Ports and harbours
good, but expensive
The SAICE 2017 Infrastructure Report
Card for South Africa’s commercial
ports (only) credits a decent B-.
“There are nine ports in the Transnet
stable — seven major commercial
ports: Saldanha Bay, Cape Town (Table
Bay), Port Elizabeth, Ngqura (Coega),
East London, Durban, Richards Bay,
and two minor ports: Port Nolloth
and Mossel Bay. Even though much
of the infrastructure has been ageing,
Transnet National Ports Authority
(TNPA) has made a concerted effort
to repair and maintain its equipment
and infrastructure, keeping it
operationally serviceable. Demand
and congestion have increased in
most of these ports, but both the
fixed and movable infrastructure still
perform well in meeting the safety
and operational standards.”
A three-year multimillion-dollar
overhaul of the Port of Cape Town’s
ship repair facilities is under way,
part of South Africa’s Operation
Phakisa Programme, which has
identified shipbuilding and repairs
as a strategic industry for the port.
South Africa ranks among the world’s
top 15 shipping nations, based on
the tonnage transported to and from
its ports, with three of the eight
major commercial ports based in the
Western Cape.
Malcolm Hartwell, a director and
attorney specialising in harbours and
infrastructure in Africa with Norton
Rose Fulbright, says that the future
of Africa may be bright, but for the
present, “It’s a patchwork.” Although
South Africa’s port and harbour
infrastructure remains by far the best
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