SA-Swazi rail link still on cards
The proposed rail link between Davel and Sidvokodvu in Swaziland is still on the cards.

The proposed rail link between Davel and Sidvokodvu in Swaziland is still on the cards.
This was the message given by Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) at a meeting held at the Highveld Conference Centre last Thursday.
The meeting was attended by a large number of representatives of Transnet, district and local government officials, representatives of the consulting engineering firm Mott Macdonald PDNA (MMPDNA), as well as representatives of the business community.
The proposed rail line, which will link the overburdened Mpumalanga coal route with the Richards Bay coal terminal and will also pass through Lothair, was first announced as far back as January 2012.
At the time, the then Minister of Public Enterprise, Mr Malusi Gigaba, and the Swaziland Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Ntuthuko Dlamini, participated in a sod-turning ceremony at Lothair, but it appears that this was premature as the project is now only in the planning and scoping phase.
At Thursday’s meeting at which a more detailed outline of the proposed project was given, Mr Athol Stark, incumbent president of the Ermelo Business Association, requested the project leaders to engage in on-going consultation with the communities that will be affected by a project of this nature.
To this end, he invited Transnet to consult with the EBA as this organisation was in touch with local business and numerous role players in local and district government who could provide a wealth of information and advice on processes to follow, as well as identifying possible pitfalls.
This was welcomed by Mr Roger Trail, senior project manager of TFR, who said the purpose of the meeting was indeed to compile a list of role players that need to be consulted.
It is envisaged that the project will only begin in 2016 or 2017 as logistical studies and possible problem areas must still be finalised.
It is estimated that the project will cost in excess of R32 billion.