Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) yesterday confirmed that the Ore Corridor line affected by a derailment early on Monday morning had been cleared, with repairs expected to be completed late tomorrow.
This after 20 iron-ore loaded wagons derailed at Loop 9 and 10 near Loeriesfontein in the Northern Cape.
“TFR rail network teams have now commenced with the repairs on the section. A preliminary estimated time of repair is Thursday, 8 June 2023 at 16:00. Investigations into the cause of the derailment continue,” the subsidiary of Transnet said in a statement.
The iron ore railway line is 861km long and runs between Sishen in the Northern Cape and Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape. The line was specially built to be able to run heavy iron ore trains. Mining clients that use the TFR include Exxaro, Kumba Iron Ore and Thungela Resources, among others.
Disruptions of the iron ore corridor lead to companies being unable to transport the volumes of cargo required, losing billions in lost revenue over time.
In the matter of the of cable theft on the nearby Kolomela line, TFR said power had now been restored after 20 spans of cable were stolen on the line on Sunday night. Repairs were expected to be completed yesterday evening.
TFR said the search by SAPS for those responsible continues.
Breakdown teams have been dispatched to the scene.
"We appeal to the wider industry to assist Transnet in dealing with this continuous attack on our network infrastructure,“ it said.
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