Johannesburg - A new 6500km rail network to be completed in the next five years will bring relief to the country's roads, Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Monday.
“Around 1317 new locomotives and 25,000 new wagons will have been acquired by Transnet,” Gigaba said at The New Age breakfast briefing in Johannesburg.
“The shift from road to rail for both passengers and freight is good for the economy and will improve the efficiency, safety, and quality of our roads.”
Transnet's handling capacity would increase by 75 percent, he said.
A multi-billion rand infrastructure roll-out and investment by Transnet and Eskom would be “a game changer”.
Eskom had finalised the design of a fund for developing mines to help emerging black miners.
“By 2015, we will ensure that over 50 percent of coal to Eskom comes from black miners.”
Gigaba said Eskom and Transnet were becoming leaders in their own fields.
“The two enterprises will be able to implement and leverage projects on a scale and capacity that is beyond any organisation in South Africa,” said Gigaba. - Sapa