Railways Africa, the authoritative publication for the rail industry throughout africa.

3. Contents
issN 1029 - 2756
Publisher
barbara sheat
comment
Transnet Freight rail CeO siyabonga Gama,
quoted by engineering News, says he is
eDiTOr
reversing spoornet’s “quite perplexing”
rollo Dickson policy in the recent past of reducing volumes.
“if you want to make money, you need to
sub eDiTOr grow the railway, not shrink it.”
Carel Mulder
This is fighting talk, given the somewhat less
constructive ideas his predecessors seemed
CONTribuTOrs to have in mind. All strength to Gama’s hand
John batwell – and our congratulations on the National
Peter bagshawe business leader of the Year award.
DesiGN AND lAYOuT
Craig Dean
Grazia Muto
lindsey Patterson
ADVerTiseMeNT DesiGN
& PhOTOGrAPhY contentS COMPRESSOR AND ENGINE ENGINEERING
Craig Dean
Compressor and engine engineering 2 4 steps...
subsCriPTiONs to getting it
Kim bevan Opinion: Pete the Pundit 4
railway Profile: Namibia 8
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www.railwaysafrica.com 3 | 2008 RAILWAYS AFRICA 1

4. C&e engineering
COMPRESSOR AND ENGINE ENGINEERING
being one of only a handful of engineering companies EnginEEring division
that have been approved by the sArCC (south African
rail Commuter Corporation) to refurbish compressors and This division is responsible for the manufacturing of
exhausters on undercarriage components for Metrorail components for rolling stock. it manufactures parts such as
coaches. Compressor and engine engineering prides itself pistons, rotors, revolving liners, white-metal bearings and
on its unique products and excellent service delivery. other components for both diesel and electric locomotives.
Crankshafts and valves are also refurbished by this division.
The company was established in 1989. based in the boksburg
area, it focused on the commercial compressed air industry. The company currently has a contract with Transnet for
Over the years it moved into the locomotive industry and it is the resleeving of Wabco cylinders. it has the capability to
this industry that has become the mainstay of the company. resleeve cylinders from 1 inch up to 35 inches.
The main business is the manufacturing of compressed ComponEnt rEfurbishmEnt division
air and exhauster components for the locomotive/metro
industries, as well as the repair and servicing of all makes The assembly and testing of rolling stock components is the
of compressors. The company now possesses extensive main focus of this division which undertakes the complete
facilities, enabling it to perform a large variety of work in both refurbishment of undercarriage equipment in Metrorail
AC and DC applications. coaches. These components include Dh 16, VV 64 and CM
38 compressors, and lPs 54, lPs 44 and 6x8s exhausters.
Compressor and engine engineering’s impressive list This division also refurbishes Wabco expressors as well as
of clients includes sArCC’s Metrorail business in Cape the Gardner Denver expressors used in the diesel locomotive
Town, Pretoria, braamfontein and Durban, as well as union industry.
Carriage, Wictra holdings, Transnet rail engineering and the
recently established Naledi rail engineering.
CommErCial ComprEssor rEpair division
The business consists of three separate divisions:
This division services and repairs all types of compressors
• Engineering
and is an approved distributor for Compair south Africa,
• Component refurbishment
allowing the company to sell new compressors up to
• Commercial compressor refurbishment
250kW.
VAnE-tEc coMprEssor
Compressor and engine engineering enjoys a unique advantage in that the company has
developed the Vane-tec compressor (with the assistance of the sArCC) for the Metrorail
coach business. Approximately three years ago, sArCC identified a need to replace
the ageing compressors on their metro coaches. Compressor and engine engineering
developed the Vane-tec compressor for this application. The air-end, developed specifically
for the rail industry, is supplied by Compair south Africa which has extensive experience in
the rail industry, having units working in 27 different rail applications throughout the world.
Transvaal electrical, a south African-based company, has wide experience in DC motor
applications for the rail industry and supplies the motor for the Vane-tec compressor.
Although this rotary vane compressor is already used in 27 rail-related systems world-wide,
it is unique within the rail industry in south Africa.
The Vane-tec compressor is available in AC and DC versions and has the following benefits:
• more efficient than piston units
• vane-type compressors run at slower speeds than screw-type compressors
• compact and simple in design
• quick and easy to install
• inexpensive and economical to run
• quiet performance
• full back-up and support available
• oil temperature cut-out
• energy saving
• direct drive
2 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3 | 2008 www.railwaysafrica.com

5. C&e engineering
otHEr proDucts
vaCuum brakE CylindErs
The company manufactures and
refurbishes the 21 inch vacuum
brake cylinders used on Metrorail
coaches.
vaCuum filtEr systEm
The company has also improved and developed
Lp X54 EXHAustEr a vacuum filter system to replace the ageing
system on Metrorail units.
The lP X54 exhauster was developed in conjunction
with the Vane-tec compressor as these components The use of this system leads to a 20 to 30%
work in sets on metro coaches. reduction in non-conformity experienced by
exhausters and also has the following benefits:
Compressor and engine engineering has improved this • low maintenance
exhauster to run at 80°C, thus allowing the unit to re- • easy to service
circulate its oil and reduce the need for maintenance. • indicator showing blockages
• service inspection only once per year
For further information
please contact:
Gavin Acar
c&E Engineering
6 bain street,
boksburg east,
south Africa
Tel: 011 914 1093/4
Fax: 011 914 1113
email: compress@lantic.net
www.railwaysafrica.com 3 | 2008 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3

6. opinion
PETE THE PUNDIT looks at the
PRICE WE PAY FOR FUEL, CTC SIGNALLING
and RDC IN AFRICA
thE priCE WE pay for fuEl CtC signalling
Going far beyond the rand-per-litre thing at the pump, the it seems ironic that electric colour-light signalling under
ramifications of the price we pay for fuel become more centralised traffic control (ctc) is currently being introduced to
widespread every day. The increase in south African supersede semaphores on the Johannesburg-bloemfontein
commuter rail patronage is unsurprising: many people who main-line north of Kroonstad; ironic because – in the very
drove to work previously simply cannot afford to continue. recent past, ctc was dismantled on the same line south of
For the immediate present, spare capacity still exists in some bloemfontein. Difficulty in coping with continuing vandalism
Metroplus (former first class) coaches, even if third class of equipment was the main reason advanced at the time,
accommodation tends to be overloaded. though steadily reducing traffic volumes no doubt entered
the picture. This 136km ctc section to springfontein from
hamilton (3km south of bloemfontein) came into use early
in the nineteen-sixties. in fact, it was one of the first ctc
installations in south Africa – though all the main-lines of the
former rhodesian railways system, today’s Zambian and
Zimbabwe networks, were ctc-controlled by then.
In the early nineties, preparations were made
to bring the 160km Hamilton-Beaconsfield
(Kimberley) line under ctc, but the project
was dropped, even though elaborate colour-
light signalling was already in operation at
the seven intermediate stations (that at De
Brug seen here), and all points – including
the “skilpad” derailer - were operating
electrically.
Anything that uses fuel oil is becoming expensive to run.
in the Western Cape, more than 20 years have elapsed since
relentless continuing increases in the fuel price, which show the 102km Wellington-Worcester portion of the main-line
no sign of slackening, will quickly fill what little space is left. was brought under ctc. since then, ctc has been introduced
What happens then? replying to complaints about cancelled gradually northwards, and now extends all the way to
trains, Metrorail invariably blames a critical shortage of Gauteng. south of Wellington however, station-to-station
rolling stock. According to s A Commuter Corporation CeO control still applies as far as brackenfell, almost 50km, with
lucky Montana, well over a third of the fleet of 4,600 coaches two of the intermediaries – Paarl and huguenot – still using
is unserviceable. Averaging nearly 40 years in age, further mechanical boxes to control the busy double track (which
refurbishment, he says, is becoming uneconomic – the also handles Metrorail services), with semaphore signalling.
technology is “obsolete”. Mechanically worked points are to be found, too, at Klapmuts,
Kraaifontein junction and brackenfell, though the signals at
in any event, with the exception of parts of Cape Town, these places are electric.
Metrorail penetration into areas of high car usage is poor.
People unable to access trains must look to road-based The important junction at
public transport - with fares inextricably tied to the cost of bellville, only 20km from the
fuel. main Cape Town terminus, was
also separately controlled until
Trains on non-electrified lines – 99% freight carriers - are in two years ago, when it was
a similar boat. inevitably, the spiralling cost of running diesel incorporated into the area-wide
locomotives has to be passed on to the customer. but there ctc system. The Windermere
is another aspect to consider. The huge percentage of goods ctc centre now manages the
currently conveyed by road (at least 90%) depends entirely rest of the Cape Town suburban
on fuel. The extent to which its cost has risen – and continues network as far as Kuils river, on
to rise – makes a mockery of using road in preference to rail the line to sir lowry’s Pass and
– electric rail, that is. According to Cargo info Africa, the third bredasdorp. station-to-station
consecutive diesel price hike in three months has pushed control survives beyond,
up the cost of moving a container from Durban to Gauteng including the stellenbosch
by r1,000. before long, we shall no longer need government Up home signal at Paarl, 58km loop. eersterivier junction
persuasion to consign by rail – road will have priced itself out from Cape Town on the main- has been all-electric for
of thinking about. line: still mechanically signalled around 30 years, but further
in 2008. outlying stations still rely on
it is going to be a little late regretting our neglect of railways Mr van schoor’s single-line
these past fifteen years. Now, not only do we have insufficient tablet system, complemented with semaphore signals.
capacity to move the modest amount of freight still left on electrification continues as far as the strand branch from
rail – there is no surplus availability to handle what may well van der stel junction, today the last signalled station. The rest
become very real volumes. of the line, including the pass, uses radio token working.
here is that question again – what happens then?
4 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3 | 2008 www.railwaysafrica.com

7. With the addition of new powerful state
of the art Diesel Locomotives to our
fleet, we have taken service excellence
to the next level....
HEAD OFFICE
127 Villiers Road PO Box 15148 Tel: +27 (041) 581 4400
Walmer Emerald Hill Fax: +27 (041) 581 4474
6070 6011 Email: info@sheltam.com
Port Elizabeth Website: www.sheltam.com
South Africa

8. opinion
rdC in afriCa run for 15 years. rDC says: “We are selling our interests
The railroad Development Corporation (rDC) is a privately to Mozambiquan entities at a profit, reflecting acknow-
held Pittsburgh-based railway management and investment ledgement by a third party investor that there has been
company, focusing – to quote its website - on “emerging significant value created. it is our intention to redeploy the
Corridors in emerging Markets.” Africa, with many emerging profit generated by this transaction elsewhere in Africa.”
corridors in emerging markets and a host of underperforming
railways, bristles with scope for the sort of know-how that The 615km railway from Nacala connects at entre lagos
rDC has to offer. Many African countries that inherited with Malawi railways, run by concessionaire Central east
functioning and well-maintained systems at independence African railways (CeAr) since 1999. The key player in this
subsequently ran into trouble and they look to outside consortium happens to be rDC, with much to show for what
expertise to work miracles with quick-fix solutions. it has put to rights and achieved.
Governments change of At the 2008 Africa rail Awards in June, recently retired
course, as the people running CeAr general manager robert Nkana received the lifetime
them change. A government Achievement Award,with CeAr itself in second place as
that agrees on one point today best Concessionaire. Nkana, who holds a master’s degree
may see matters differently in mechanical engineering, served 10 years as secretary-
tomorrow. Patience is invariably general of the union of African railways (uAr). his innovative
a scarce virtue either way, so railway skills and leadership, says rDC, were “significant
running a state-owned railway factors in the transition of CeAr from state ownership to a
in Africa under concession privatised, successful transportation company.”
tends to be a risky business.
Corredor de Desenvolvimento
Rites of India arranged the recent do Norte (CDN), the consortium
delivery to CDN of two refurbished, formed in 2003 to manage
regauged 1,350hp locos in terms of
the port of Nacala and run
a five-year, US1.3m lease.
Mozambique’s northern railway,
could not work magic fast enough. rDC, having put the
virtually derelict line back on its feet despite all manner of
problems – not least a succession of devastating floods –
has now withdrawn from CDN, in company with other us One of four locomotives imported by RDC early in
investors who put much into a deal that was supposed to 2007 for CDN, seen shunting at Nampula.
SPECIALIZING IN THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY
>> Sales and rentals of locomotives, trackmobiles and other rolling stock.
>> Repair/reconditioning of locomotives, trackmobiles and other rolling stock
in our Pretoria West based workshop and on site.
HEAD OFFICE OPERATIONS & >> Repair/reconditioning of all locomotive and other rolling stock equipment
(engines, bogies, turbo chargers, air and vacuum brake valves and
P.O Box 40178 WORKSHOP auxiliaries, compressors and exhausters, couplers and draft gears ect.)
Cleveland
2022 No1 Frikkie Meyer Road >> Service exchange components for most major items on present day
Republic of South Africa Pretoria West locomotives, which include traction motors bogies, power packs,
Gauteng
93 Whitworth Road Republic of South Africa expressors and main generators ect.
Heriotdale, Johannesburg
Tel: +27 12 307-7251
>> A full range of spare parts for locomotives and rail wagons, most of which
Gauteng are available off the shelf.
Republic of South Africa Fax: +27 12 307-7112
fafrail@worldonline.co.za >> Sales and rentals of electric, mechanical and air jacking systems for the
Tel: +27 11 626-3516 lifting of locomotives and rail wagons ect, on site.
Fax: +27 11 626-1171/28
sales@surtees.co.za >> Operation and control of entire rail systems ranging from the maintenance
of customers own locomotives and rolling stock to the control and
transport of their products and the maintenance of their railway tracks and
switch/signalling systems.
CD228_ARTS_Adv.indd 1 2007/05/21 01:29:43 PM
6 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3 | 2008 www.railwaysafrica.com

9. Investing in tomorrow
through building today
National Foundation & Infrastructure > Railway Systems > Logistics Services > Bridges > Energy & Mines
When we invest in infrastructure, such as laying a railway line or erecting a bridge, it's more than just providing a
way to get from one place to another. And it takes more than just railway sleepers, cables or concrete. It's about a
long-term commitment to developing Africa, building bridges to a better way of life.
NLPI specializes in private sector investments, using the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) concept, whereby at our
own cost we develop, finance, build, manage and operate a project over a number of years, before transferring it
back to the government. We use our own resources, experience and expertise to develop solid infrastructure that
makes a long lasting contribution to the economy and community.
Our involvement in infrastructure development in Southern Africa has spanned more than a decade.
Our strong track record is a living testament to what can be achieved by working together.
NLPI – Working with the people to build a better future, together.
Shareholders:
New Limpopo Bridge Projects Ltd
C R E A T I V E I N V E S T M E N T S W W W . N L P I . N E T

10. railway profile: namibia
NAMIBIA’S RAILWAYS
by John Batwell
back in 1884, Namibia became a German protectorate. After north-westwards to Outjo (69km). A second branch runs
the First World War and Germany’s defeat and reparations, east from Otavi (203km from Kranzberg) to Grootfontein
a league of Nation’s mandate handed the territory to south (91km). important railway workshops are based at usakos,
Africa to administer. During this time it was known as south 11km west of Kranzberg.
West Africa (sWA). Following a long, protracted war of
attrition, it finally became Namibia in 1990. A branch from Windhoek runs 221km eastward to the
livestock town of Gobabis.
The colourful history of the country is reflected in its railways
- the fine rail museum in Windhoek is testimony to that. it GAuGE & MotiVE poWEr conVErsion
was the German government that laid the first railway of During the years when the south West African lines were
any significance, after the protectorate became a colony. in operated by the south African railways (sAr) administration,
1897 a 600mm gauge military railway was started eastwards some 547km of 600mm gauge track were converted to
from swakopmund for the German campaign against the 1,067mm and steam was replaced with diesel power. The
hereros. This saw the origins of the “staatsbahn” (state vast areas with almost no water and the fact that coal had
railway). The first 1,067mm gauge, characterising the to be transported from the Witbank coalfields made it
regional systems on the continent today, was seen in 1905, expedient to terminate the use of steam traction as early as
when construction started on the line inland from luderitz, 1962. Two years earlier the last of the narrow gauge lines
reaching Keetmanshoop in 1908 and Windhoek in 1912. had disappeared, enabling this decision. by July 1960 the
Further impetus came when south African allied forces 1,067mm gauge was uniform throughout the country. The
advanced into the colony during the 1914-18 conflict. The 600mm gauge locomotives and rolling stock – which included
line was rapidly extended westwards from Prieska through a unique narrow-gauge sleeping car – were transferred for
upington and then across the border, and army engineers further use in south Africa.
converted the 600mm gauge railway inland from Walvis bay
(but not the line to Tsumeb) to 1,067mm. tHE DiEsELs
The first diesel locomotives seconded to the south West
tHE LinEs system comprised General electric u18C1 type units, built
For many years until recently, Namibia’s network comprised in 1958 (sAr class 32). later, examples of the American
2, 382km of track, but current northward expansion towards manufacturer’s u20C model, delivered to the sAr between
the Angolan border has augmented the total length. The 1966 and 1970 and classified 33, went to south West.
main-line runs south to north from the town of upington in
south Africa’s Northern Cape Province, entering Namibia in May 1985, the roads, rail and harbours were placed under
near the small border station of Nakop. At seeheim, 314km the authority of the territory’s government, but south African
from Nakop, a branch runs westwards to lüderitz (317km), a Transport services (which had superseded sAr) continued
minor harbour. The main-line continues northwards through to manage the system.
the towns of Keetmanshoop and Mariental to the capital,
Windhoek. From here the railway continues first north and nEW ErA – AnD nEW LiVErY
then generally south-west to swakopmund (370km), turning On 16 May 1986 the first locomotives in south West Africa’s
south to the country’s major port, Walvis bay (410km). At own livery were ceremoniously introduced at Windhoek
Kranzberg junction, 210km from Windhoek, an important station. The transport minister at the time noted that the
line runs north-east to Tsumeb (387km). From Otjiwarongo diesel units’ new colour scheme symbolised the transfer of
on this section (205km from Kranzberg), a branch runs the territory’s complete rail system to it as a national asset.
in 1987 the National Transport Corporation Act (NTC) was
adopted by the sWA/Namibia national assembly and signed
into law by the administrator-general.
8 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3 | 2008 www.railwaysafrica.com

11. railway profile: namibia
The NTC was a private company with its entire
shareholding held by government. Assets worth
some r150m were transferred to the NTC. These
included 128 diesel locomotives, 180 passenger
coaches and 2,900 goods wagons. The National
Transport Corporation ltd adopted a new name
– TransNamib – in July 1988.
cHinA EntErs tHE picturE
TransNamib holdings ltd was established in
terms of the National Transport services holding
Company Act of 1998, thus becoming the
successor to TransNamib ltd. it is wholly owned
by the government of Namibia. Namibia’s first
president from 1990, sam Nujoma, was in office
until 2005, in time to witness the further growth
of the national railway system and the opening
of the completed 89km from Tsumeb to Oshivelo
of the new northern extension. Nujoma’s tenure
of office also witnessed Namibia’s start of a
Chinese economic liaison – four Ziyang CKD8C
type locomotives, a diesel multiple unit (DMu)
for the new northern line, and thirty tank cars
being delivered to the country during 2004.
TransNamib’s first Chinese-built motive power delivered in
2004 – Ziyang Loco Works’ CKD8C.
On 15 July 2006, thousands gathered to witness
the official opening by the new president
hifikepunye Pohamba of the new Nehale
lyapingana station at Ondangwa, formally
signifying completion of the initial phase of
Namibia’s new northern extension. The 246,5km
from Tsumeb was completed at a cost of N$841
million in only four years, work having started on
12 June 2002. Financing came from the Arab bank
for economic Development in Africa ($us4.9
million) and the Kuwait Fund for Arab economic
Development ($8.96 million). Altogether 19,148
local people were employed on the project.
in addition, about 44,000 volunteers from the
public and private sector helped with the work,
including former president sam Nujoma. Other
stopping places built include Dr sam Nujoma
station at Oshivelo and Omuthiya-Gwiipundi.
Altogether, some 25,000 tonnes of rails were
laid on about 352,000 concrete sleepers, all cast
at Tsumeb. Today, passenger trains connect
Ondangwa and Windhoek in 10 hours.
Construction of phase 2, to Oshikango (55km) on
the Angolan border, is in hand, and a branch to
Oshakati will follow. A 250km extension across
the border is envisaged, to link eventually near
Cassinga with a line (currently under rehabilitation)
which runs to the Angolan port of Namibe. iron-
ore from mines near Cassinga may be exported
through Walvis bay at some future date.
www.railwaysafrica.com 3 | 2008 RAILWAYS AFRICA 9

12. railway profile: namibia
LÜDEritZ brAncH trAnsnAMib LooKs AHEAD
At the same time when TransNamib’s northern extension Meanwhile TransNamib has invited swedish companies
was being built, rehabilitation of the 139km Aus-lüderitz line to partner the state-owned company in its $us1 billion
was in progress. This has embraced the use of tubular track, refurbishment exercise. New TransNamib CeO Titus haimbili
a unique track system designed, developed and patented says the parastatal needs
by south African firm Tubular Track Technology. replacing to upgrade its infrastructure
conventional sleepers and ballast, it is made up of twin to handle a 18.5 tonne
reinforced concrete beams, linked with steel gauge-bars, axle load. Further loco-
on which the rails are continuously supported. To insulate motive refurbishment and
the structure from shock when trains pass, rubber-bonded acquisitions are mooted.
cork pads are placed between the rails and beams. The Whilst Namibia’s railways
ballastless system is well suited to extreme temperature experienced financial losses
variations that characterise desert areas. The extensive sand in the 1990s, things have
dunes encountered as the route approaches lüderitz created taken a turn for the better,
serious problems for the original railway. instead of burying with TransNamib holdings TransNamib’s latest Chinese diesel
the rails – a frequent occurrence in the past – sand now blows reporting an annual profit locomotives – a pair of the 17 Sifang
through the clear space beneath the beams. rehabilitation every year since 2003. SDD6 units
of the branch will benefit the movement of export zinc and
copper from the skorpion and rosh Pinah mines. As to future network development, an extension of the
Gobabis line, to connect with botswana’s main-line at Palapye
nEW MotiVE poWEr has been proposed. More recently, an extension from
During 2007, TransNamib expanded its motive power fleet with Grootfontein has been mooted, to run to Katimo Mulilo on
the delivery of 17 sifang-built sDD6 type diesel locomotives the Zambian border, from where a connection to livingstone
at a cost of N$250 million. The purchase was funded through is contemplated. The most ambitious scheme envisaged is
a loan with the export and import bank of China. rolling for a “1,600km, multi-billion-dollar, electrified Trans-Kalahari
stock acquired included 200 wagons from China, including railway” running from Palapye in east central botswana past
tankcars for transporting fuel and chemicals. the Morupule Colliery, then by way of Mariental, Maltahohe
and Aus in Namibia to a new harbour at shearwater bay,
in March 2006, rail india Technical and economic services 30km south of lüderitz. The project is being undertaken by
ltd (rites) signed a Memorandum of understanding (Mou) a consortium of companies from Namibia, south Africa and
with TransNamib holdings ltd, in terms of which assistance Canada, including sekunjalo, Kumba resources, siemens
and expertise is to be provided in upgrading existing railway Transportation systems and energem resources.
and other infrastructure including a train control system
using GPs-based technology; the rehabilitation of aged According to the promoters, it will be the first electrified
u20C locomotives and supply of new Cape-gauge railcars; railway in botswana and Namibia, the first heavy-haul line in
technical and managerial assistance; advisory services for either, and the longest heavy-haul line on the continent.
Public Private Partnership (PPP) and training for commercial
and operating staff. in fact, it won’t be the first electric railway in Namibia. An
extensive network of 600mm gauge lines developed after
1905 in the restricted “diamond” area south of Kolmanskop,
extending initially to bogenfels and later – after this section
was lifted in 1931 - to Oranjemund. Due to the absence of
water, much of this system was electrified with overhead
wires at 500V DC. sixteen electric locos were still listed in
1964, but the railway has since closed.
The Luderitz branch: a General Electric
U20C locomotive on tubular track.
10 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3 | 2008 www.railwaysafrica.com

13. SPECIALIST CASTINGS FOR
THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY
The Scaw Metals Group (Scaw) is an international group, manufacturing a diverse range of steel products. Its principal
operations are located in South Africa, South America, Canada and Australia. Smaller operations are in Namibia,
Zimbabwe and Zambia. Scaw’s specialist castings for the railroad industry include bogies used in freight cars,
locomotives and passenger cars. Other products manufactured include:
Freight car castings: Scaw has produced castings for the railroad industry since 1921
• Side Frames • Bolsters and is a technological leader in this field and has participated in the
• Yokes • Cast steel monobloc wheels development of unique designs such as the cast adaptor sub-frame
• Draw-gear components assembly used in the “Scheffel” radial axle truck.
• Centre plates
Scaw manufactures castings under licence to various licensors, but
Cast steel frames for locomotives:
is an open foundry with the capability to undertake work according
• Steerable locomotive frames
to individual customer requirements. The company has produced
• Mounting for electrical parking brakes and brakehangers
• Traction motor end shields and suspension tubes in cast thousands of sets of steel castings for freight cars for both the local
steel, manufactured to customer requirements and export markets. These include side frames and bolsters that
have been approved by the Association of American Railroads for
Passenger car castings: use on North American railroads.
• High speed, high stability radial axle bogies for motored
and unmotored passenger vehicles Scaw supplies globally and also offers nationwide distribution
• Self steering bogies in South Africa through its strategically located branches
• Fully machined frames ready for assembly into bogies, throughout the country.
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14. afriCa Update
ANGOLA EGYPT
namibE CommutEr sErviCE Egyptian Crossing problEms
rail commuter service into the southern Angolan port of According to egypt’s official MeNA news agency, at least 37
Namibe, 250km north of the Cunene river on the border people were killed and 38 injured on 16 July when a truck
with Namibia, is to be restored shortly. since January, work pushed waiting vehicles onto the track at a level crossing
has concentrated on the first 30km of line out of the town. 80km east of Mersa Matruh on the northern egyptian coast.
Caminhos de ferro Namibe (CFN) official Paulo Ndala told A bus, a truck and several cars were hit by the locomotive of
the Angolan News Agency that the revived commuter trains a passenger train travelling at speed. Four coaches derailed,
will link the centre with saco-Mar and Giras. two overturned on top of two cars, but the loco did not leave
the track. emergency vehicles sent to the scene included
Meanwhile the $us1.2 billion rehabilitation project continues ambulances from Cairo, several hundred kilometres away.
on the rest of CFl’s 756km line to Menongue, and the two
branches – 100km to Chiange and 80km to Cassinga. in a concentrated effort to reduce collisions at the busiest of
eventually it is hoped to link Cassinga, where there are egypt’s 1,300 level crossings, invensys rail Group (irG), a
deposits of high grade iron-ore, with Oshikango on Namibia’s specialist in rail control and automation systems, is making
northern border. This is the endpoint of TransNamib’s proposals to the country’s Department of Transport. To
northern extension, currently under construction. both meet the specific demands of egyptian railways in terms
railways use the 1,067mm gauge. of its geography, climate and the location of the crossings,
invensys aims to adapt technology it has developed for
CFN expects to carry about 2 million passengers annually, applications on railways throughout the world.
and move some 15 million tonnes of goods.
[CFN, known formerly as the Moçâmedes railway, was
originally laid to 600mm gauge. it was widened some 50
years ago. – editor]
Impressive Henschel-built Garratt no 102 of 1953, one
of six on the Moçâmedes Railway displaced by diesel
power before 1970 (photo: P F Bagshawe).
Cfl – a million passEngErs
between January and May 2008, more than a million
passengers were carried by Caminhos de ferro de luanda
(CFl) between the Musseques and Viana stations. Operations
head Aurélio russo told the Angolan news agency Angop
that 99,176 people out of a total of 1,227,206 were carried by
the express train which makes two weekday trips at a fare
of 200 Angolan Kwanzas (about $us2). The ordinary train,
consisting of 12 coaches, makes four weekday journeys KENYA
and two on saturdays at a fare of 30 Kwanzas (about 30 us rift vallEy railWays
cents). During July, rift Valley railways (rVr), the holder of the 25-
year concession to operate the lines in Kenya and part of
uganda, took two Kenyan investor companies on board. in
4 - 6 march 2009 August, it appointed brown Ondego as executive chairman, a
Cape Town
new post, and is entering into a Technical service Agreement
(TsA) with PDl Toll - a subsidiary of Australia’s Toll holdings -
BOTSWANA which is providing senior management personnel and related
botsWana loCo rEfurbishEd technical services to rVr. roy Puffet has stepped down as
in May, botswana railways (br) GM-built diesel-electric managing director (though retaining his directorship), the
locomotive bD 220 was handed over following refurbishment new CeO being PDl nominee Kevin Whiteway. rVr, Ondego
in the bulawayo shops of the National railways of Zimbabwe explains, now has access to “PDl Toll’s back office support
(NrZ). The overhaul, in terms of a bi-lateral arrangement for including finance, purchasing power, risk and training
the repair of traction and rolling stock concluded in 2004, expertise.”
was completed in 45 days. br supplied all requisite spares,
including injectors, turbo blower, engine protector, traction speaking for rVr consortium member Centum investment
motors, brake cylinders, bogie cylinders, and bogie springs. Company, managing director Peter Mwangi told business
12 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3 | 2008 www.railwaysafrica.com

15. afriCa Update
Daily (published in Nairobi) that little return is expected for
between five and ten years. “it’s a long-term investment and
a lot of rehabilitation of infrastructure has to take place before
we can reap returns,” he points out.
The first delivery of new locomotives ordered by rVr
is scheduled in August 2009, three months before the
performance review due two years into the concession.
however, Kenyan and uganda government dissatisfaction
with rVr progress in the 18 months since it took over
management of the railway has resulted in demands for an
immediate assessment.
business Daily recalls that “Kenya’s rail infrastructure and
rolling stock were in appalling condition at takeover, with
many locomotives inoperable. Persisting unrest in the wake
of the late-December elections saw kilometre-long sections
of the main-line removed near Nairobi. in recent weeks, flood
damage to ancient, ill-maintained bridgework in uganda
put everything out of action again, this time for at least two
months.”
[exactly the words we used in recent editorial comment.
Great minds, it seems, still think alike. – editor]
kisumu linE rEpairs
rVr is making comprehensive repairs
to the Nakuru-Kisumu line, temporarily
closed due to damage to bridges
and culverts, and the destruction and/
or theft of fishplates, pandrol clips,
sleepers and sections of rail. More than
seven bridges were sabotaged in the five
months to June 2008, during which 127
instances of vandalism were reported. According to outgoing
rVr CeO roy Puffet, “The vandalism, geared at causing fatal
derailments on the railway, has been expertly perpetrated
by person(s) with clear technical railway know-how.”
MALAWI
CeAr statistics reflect that 400,000 tonnes of freight were
malaWi CEntEnary carried by the railway in 2007, compared with only 150,000
On 17 June 2008, the centenary of the arrival of the first
tonnes in 2001. Passenger totals of a million are expected
train at blantyre (on 1 March 1908) was commemorated
in 2008, up from 650,000. Planned augmentation of the
by celebrations attended by President bingu Mutharika.
present 14 passenger coaches will make it possible to
he visited a photograph exhibition at limbe station before
extend commuter service at blantyre and lilongwe. CeAr
proceeding to the Ferries football ground in blantyre where
also plans to bring in six additional locomotives, raising the
the festivities took place.
fleet total to 22.
Originally established in 1902 as the shire highlands railway,
the name was changed to Nyasaland railways in 1909 and MOROCCO
Malawi railways limited in 1964. Following privatisation high spEEd in moroCCo
in 1999, the system became Central east African railways According to Office National des Chemins de fer (ONCF - the
(CeAr) with railroad Development Corporation of the usA national railway of Morocco), work on the new $us2.7 billion
as a major shareholder. high-speed railway system is to start this year. Totalling
some 1,500km, the network will include an Atlantic route
CeAr achievements mentioned to the Nyasa Times by connecting Tanger, Casablanca and Marrakech with Agadir
public relations and administration officer Daniel undani, and laâyoune; as well as the Maghreb line from rabat to Fès,
include the introduction of radio communication between Oujda and possibly Alger. it is hoped to complete the project
locomotive drivers and central control, the reinstating of the by 2013, when it is estimated that eight million passengers
rivirivi bridge following severe washaways some years ago will be carried annually. Journey time for 400km journeys
and the setting up of a fully fledged safety department. between Casablanca and Tanger will reduce from five hours
45 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes.
undani concedes that competition from road hauliers is
affecting the company’s performance, though some areas One line will run for 200km from Tanger to Kénitra, and the
are accessible to rail only. other for 170km from settat to Marrakech. between the two,
trains will use part of the existing Fès - rabat - Casablanca
encroachment on the railway reserve is a problem, with line which is being double-tracked and upgraded for 200km/h
agricultural activity too close to the line resulting in washaways operation. Other plans envisage spending $us755m in the
during heavy rain. “Another serious problem,” undani told north of the country, including the modernising of stations
the paper, “is vandalism of the railway structures.” and building a 43km link between Tanger and the new
Tanger-Mediterranean port development.
www.railwaysafrica.com 3 | 2008 RAILWAYS AFRICA 13

16. afriCa Update
MOZAMBIQUE The total estimated cost for the revamping of infrastructure,
moZambiQuE’s marromEu branCh establishing and constructing new lines, and buying in
reconstruction of Mozambique’s sena line is now complete new passenger coaches and freight wagons totals about
as far as Marromeu, the Zambezi river terminus of an 80km $us1.044 billion.
branch from inhamitanga, 175km from beira. export sugar
will comprise the principal traffic on this section. limestone transnamib goEs digital
from Muanza (128km from beira), is being moved 100km on in terms of an agreement with south Korea’s samsung
the main-line to the cement factory in Dondo. Timber from signed on 11 July, TransNamib is to replace its analogue
Cheringoma will also be carried on the railway. communication system with digital equipment. TransNamib
CeO Titus haimbili was quoted by the Namibian (published
According to sofala Provincial Director of Transport and in Windhoek) saying that among many benefits, maintenance
Communications, Manuel Guimaraes, a further 12 months is costs would be reduced and drivers would be prevented
needed to finish rehabilitation of the entire 590km sena line from exceeding speed restrictions.
to the coal mines at Moatize and on to Tete, the endpoint.
The work is being carried out by a consortium comprising “Other benefits of a digital system are that the need for rail
rail india Technical and economic services ltd (rites) and maintenance could be predicted by simply using onboard
ircon international (riCON), which won the concession equipment to detect changes in the rail, and accurate
covering the entire central system of Caminhos de ferro do
Moçambique. Progress is being impeded by vandalism. At
the partly rebuilt station at savane, thieves have stolen the
newly installed doors and windows.
No trains have run on the sena line since 1983, due to the
large-scale removal of track by renamo rebels. in 1986, a
section of the 3km Zambezi bridge at Dona Ana, the longest
in Africa, was blown up.
TransNamib train hauled by ex-SAR class 33 diesel
information on the location and speed of the locomotives
could be provided on the system. in order for trains to be
able to run according to schedule the railway system must
Cfm traffiC be able to meet the challenges of constant disruptions
According to the Maputo daily “Noticias”, Caminhos de ferro effectively. Delayed or cancelled trains are detrimental to the
do Moçambique (CFM – the state railway) handled 1,65 effective service delivery of any railway operator,” haimbili
million tonnes of freight in the first five months of 2008, an was quoted saying.
increase of 9.2% on the same period in 2007. This growth
occurred exclusively on the southern rail system (which is NIGERIA
managed by CFM), comprising the lines from Maputo to nigErian statEs must Chip in
south Africa, swaziland and Zimbabwe. Together these lines The federal government has allocated “close to zero” capital
carried 1,477 million tonnes. to railways in the current year’s budget, Nigeria railways
Corporation (NrC) managing director Mazi Jetteson
Mozambique’s two other functioning lines - from beira to Nwankwo told the press on 18 June, during a district
Zimbabwe, and from the northern port of Nacala to Malawi management meeting in enugu.
- were run until mid 2008 by consortia headed by private
companies. between them, they handled only 173,000 tonnes To sustain the provision of rail services, he said, NrC is
of freight from January to May, a decline of 43.7% compared “reaching out” to state governments for assistance. in terms
with 2007. The Nacala line concession was reconstituted of such partnership, Nwankwo explained, the states are
recently with solely Mozambiquan membership. expected to provide wagons, coaches and locomotives.
states that have already committed themselves to help wth
Of course, there has been a huge reduction in Zimbabwean running intercity rail services are Kaduna, Cross river, Delta,
trade. in the first five months of 2007, the Mozambican lines benue, lagos and Adamawa. The benue, Niger and Kano
(to beira and Maputo) handled 202,200 tonnes to and from states have asked NrC management to forward proposals.
Zimbabwe, a figure that fell to 186,200 tonnes in the same
period this year. Quoted by This Day (published in lagos), Nwankwo said
that “Kaduna state has already indicated readiness to go
The ressano Garcia line from Maputo to south Africa handled into phase 2 of the partnership which may include extending
1,063 million tonnes, of which 34,000 tonnes was Mozambican railway services to other states.” NrC has to work hard to
domestic traffic, and the rest was international (mainly south salvage the situation, the managing director conceded. he
African). Traffic on the Goba line to swaziland increased by said the management team must be “diligent, pro-active,
53.5% - mainly consisting of coal and containerised goods. honest, transparent, willing and ready to put in more hard
work that will make the difference between success and
NAMIBIA failure.”
hugE transnamib dEvElopmEnt plans
TransNamib needs to upgrade its infrastructure to handle RWANDA
18,5 tonne axle-loads at 80km/h (current 40km/h) says rWanda-drC linE proposEd
newly appointed Chief executive Officer Titus haimbili, Agence rwandaise d’information, the rwanda national
quoted by New era, published in Windhoek. The estimated news agency, quotes President Paul Kagame saying that
cost is $us564 million. The necessary refurbishing of 30 the government intends to construct a railway connecting
locomotives within the next three years will cost $us15 the country with the Democratic republic of Congo (DrC),
million. in addition, the utility needs to purchase 10 new to reduce dependence on Kenyan and Tanzanian transport
locomotives at an estimated cost of $us17 million.
14 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3 | 2008 www.railwaysafrica.com

17. Transportation

18. afriCa Update
routes. rwanda relies largely on the Kenyan port of Mombasa 1,500km – takes trains to a point almost 300km from the
for imports and exports, and much traffic is routed via the Zambian border. From there, it is still a very long way to a
isaka dry port in Tanzania to Dar-es-salaam. The need port. ironically, the nearest is Dar-es-salaam, by way of the
for alternative routes came to the fore during the political Tanzam line. – editor]
violence in Kenya in January and February.
TANZANIA
[it is about 100km from the rwandan capital Kigali to the nEW trl sErviCEs
DrC border at the northern end of lake Kivu. Kindu, the On 13 July, Tanzania railways limited (Trl) launched an
nearest DrC railhead, lies about 300km further, to the south- additional passenger train service between Dar-es-salaam
west. The DrC line from Kindu to lubumbashi – nearly and Kigoma on lake Tanganyika. There are now three trips
every week, a number that it is intended to double. Trl has
ordered 23 third class sleepers from india, infrastructure
permanent secretary Omar Chambo has announced. Freight
service has been restarted on the line running north from Dar
to Tanga, following the arrival of 25 additional locomotives,
and is to be extended to Moshi.
northErn tanZanian sErviCEs rEsumE
On 19 June, rail services were reinstated on Tanzania’s
northern line. Tanga regional commissioner Mohamed
Abdulaziz officiated at the launch. Tanzania railways limited
suspended operations in October 2007, at which time the
condition of infrastructure had deteriorated to a serious
extent, largely due to vandalism.
Abdulaziz asked that the possibility be considered of
relocating the railway workshop back to Tanga from Moshi to
which it was transferred some years ago. he said that most
railway activities take place in Tanga.

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20. afriCa Update
Trl director general Narasimhaswami Jayaram said that rVr commercial manager in Kampala, Geoffrey
two goods trains comprising 23 wagons would be conveying Tindimwebwa says the rates will still be lower than those
various commodities including cement from the Tanga charged by road freight hauliers. “Our rates have been
Cement Company. steady since last October before the fuel prices rose and the
price of steel spiralled,” he points out, whereas the truckers
TAZARA raise rates every time the fuel price changes. “Also, we have
taZara tariffs uppEd had a negative result from the weakening dollar as most of
New fares applicable on the Tanzania-Zambia railway came our rates are in that currency. it has been losing value, while
into effect on 1 July. Ticket prices on ordinary passenger the prices of our inputs have been going up.”
trains as well as the Tazara express went up 20% while
parcels and luggage rates rose 30%. Travellers from Dar- ZAMBIA
es-salaam in Tanzania to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia now pay rsZ takEn to task
Tsh72,600 ($us72) in first class on the Tazara express, up in an editorial, The Times of Zambia takes rail systems of
from Tsh60,500 ($us60). Zambia (rsZ), the concessionaire running Zambian railways,
to task for buying “brand new motor vehicles worth $us1.4
To Makambako (iringa) from Dar-es-salaam now costs million”, while apparently falling short in service delivery.
Tsh29,000 ($us29) instead of Tsh24,200 ($us24). To rujewa “While the company has every right to purchase vehicles for
(Mbeya) the fare is now Tsh29,900 ($us29) instead of operations, we feel their priorities are misplaced,” the paper
Tsh24,900 ($us24). writes.
Tazara managing director Clement subulwa Mwiya points “Gone are the days,” it laments, “when the railway network
out that the company’s policy is to adjust tariffs annually. was the most reliable mode of transport in Zambia. “it was so
high operational costs are being experienced, notably in the reliable and cheap, that the rail line was Zambia’s favourite
wage bill and the continually rising cost of diesel. Tazara is mode of transport, offloading goods and passengers in
upgrading its facilities at a cost of $us10 million, he says, remote areas where roads were inaccessible.
and 18 locomotives are being rehabilitated currently
“The failure by rsZ to provide safety and reliability has forced
UGANDA many Zambians to abandon rail transport in preference for
main-linE at JinJa rEopEns the faster and more reliable road transport. it was hoped that
The main-line to Kampala from Kenya, closed near Jinja on when Zambia railways was concessioned to rsZ, things
14 May following the collapse of an embankment due to a would change for the better.”
blocked culvert, was reopened to traffic on 16 June. During
the four weeks that the line remained inoperable, freight was [rsZ inherited a sorely run-down system which is taking a
offloaded at iganga and taken forward by road. According great deal of time and money to put right. The rosy past of
to rift Valley railways (rVr) project manager Glenn Kleyn, railways in the country dates back to the days when it was
quoted by New Vision (published in Kampala) a new three- called Northern rhodesia – but nobody will want to remember
metre diameter galvanised iron culvert has been installed, that. – editor]
to provide adequate outlet for stormwater to drain into lake
Victoria, about a kilometre downstream.
Kleyn said the repair work was being done at mile 323. in 4 - 6 march 2009
Cape Town
addition, the company is investigating a structure at mile 289
towards busembatia.
ZIMBABWE
“it (mile 289) is not in any immediate danger but we are nEW nrZ sErviCE
investigating and drawing up designs,” he told the paper. The National railways of Zimbabwe (NrZ) has introduced
a new weekly passenger service to Chicualacuala, 500km
uganda ratEs inCrEasE south-east of bulawayo on the line to Maputo. The existing
rift Valley railways (rVr) has increased freight rates Wednesday train to Chiredzi has been rescheduled to leave
between Mombasa and Kampala from $us80 per tonne to bulawayo at 14:00 on Wednesday instead of 21:00. Arriving
$110. Former managing director roy Puffet explained in July: at 04:00 on Thursday, it returns at 05:00 to Mbizi junction,
“The tariff adjustment was driven by continued upward costs and continues from there to Chicualacuala. Following a
of energy, petroleum products and steel. The price of diesel 14:00 departure, it runs back to bulawayo, arriving on Friday
has gone up by 24% in the last eight months and there is morning. The Chiredzi-bulawayo service retains its former
double digit inflation as well as dollar revaluation”. timing on other days of the week.
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18 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3 | 2008 www.railwaysafrica.com

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22. sa railnews
spEEding up thE EastErn CapE The problem is “an ageing fleet of about 2,300 locomotives
An advert in the Johannesburg sunday Times of 13 July 2008 that were never maintained and keep breaking down. And
invited expressions of interest from persons interested in cable theft. A missing few metres (of cable) shuts down a
providing and running a high-speed railway in south Africa’s whole rail network,” barron learned.
eastern Cape province. The scope covered “Manufacture,
supply, Commissioning, life Cycle Maintenance and “ramos attributes her success to leaving her executive suite
Operating of new or refurbished high speed inter-City on the 49th floor of the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg
Passenger Trains, inclusive of an appropriate system of as often as possible. she climbs cranes at Durban port to
Movement Authority. interview crane drivers and sits on the footplate with train
drivers to understand why driving a train in a shunting yard
“The existing 282 km, 1,067mm gauge, non-electrified route, for six or seven hours is such a difficult job.”
traverses mountainous terrain with associated infrastructure
constraints. The intention of the new train service is to reduce According to News24, “ramos has won over the unions...
the transit time from the current approximately ten hours to some of the unions would prefer her to stay when her
not more than five hours, by applying appropriate rolling contract expires at the end of October... united Transport
stock technologies and changes to existing infrastructure. and Allied Trade union (utata) secretary-general Chris de
Vos says they hope she stays on for another year or two.”
“The requirements include, but are not limited to, the
following: [ramos subsequently announced she is staying on. – editor]
“supply and commissioning of sixteen new or refurbished
luxury high speed inter-city rail passenger vehicles, operable CapE toWn station rEvamp bEgins
in sets consisting of two to eight vehicles each. The number The revamp of Cape Town’s main station by intersite, the
of vehicles can be increased in future.” south African rail Commuter Corporation’s (sArCC)
property management company, began in June. Project
[The description leaves little doubt that the Kei line to Mthatha manager Pierre Cronje, quoted by Metrorail’s newsletter
is to be the lucky beneficiary. Though a journey of 282km in “blits”, says people using the station can expect work to be
five hours would seem to imply an undemanding average completed by April 2009.
speed of fifty-something km/h. in railway terms “mountainous
terrain with associated infrastructure constraints” somewhat The present complex was constructed in the early 1960s but
understates the situation. – editor] little development or expansion has taken place since then,
despite changing needs. The station precinct plays a pivotal
ramos thE trail-blaZEr role in the economic life of the city and provides an important
in an insightful recent article in the sunday Times, Chris interface between the central city and the remainder of the
barron reviewed the impressive career and achievements metropolitan area.
of Transnet CeO Maria ramos. One of four children whose
father was a bricklayer, she had to fight to earn a bursary The FiFA soccer World Cup 2010 matches are likely to result
from the bank where she was a clerk, because in those in the largest spectator gatherings south Africa has ever
days women were not eligible. After gaining a b Comm at experienced.
Wits, a helen suzman scholarship took her to london to do
her Masters. she was director-general of the south African The Green Point stadium, located within a 5km radius of the
Ministry of Finance when Transport Minister Jeff radebe station, is currently being rebuilt to host the matches in Cape
persuaded her – at the age of 45 - to move to Transnet in Town. “This has placed significant emphasis on the station,
January 2004. as it is the major public transportation hub in relation to the
stadium,” Cronje points out. “it is expected that the soccer
fans will converge at the station on match days, making their
way to the Green Point stadium.”
[still, it’s a pity that the venue selected is so far from the
railway – Cape Town’s major mode of commuter transport.
The World Cup matches are to be played in the middle of
winter, characterised in the Cape by persisting rain and
cold. in mid-July 2008, eight consecutive days of continuous
heavy rain left much of the city under water. – editor]
“how will the economic slowdown affect Transnet’s future
growth?” barron asked. “We anticipated that growth would
slow,” ramos replied, “so plans for this and next year are
based on lower growth rates of 3.5% to 4%. Transnet’s share
of the transport market is now 12%. it’s not a cost issue, that’s
the frustrating thing. Per ton per kilometre we are cheaper
than road. it’s an efficiency issue and a reliability issue.”
Artist’s impression of Cape Town station as it
is to look (from Metrorail’s “Blits” newsletter).
20 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3 | 2008 www.railwaysafrica.com

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24. sa railnews
latEst on CapE toWn airport montana namEd rail man of thE yEar
According to south African rail Commuter Corporation The latest employee to be awarded for “excellent service,
CeO lucky Montana, the envisaged rail connection to Cape managerial skills and a sparkling personality” is sArCC/
Town’s airport will not be tackled until after the Gautrain Metrorail CeO Tshepo lucky Montana, says “blits”, the
line to Johannesburg’s O r Tambo airport is in operation. Metrorail (Cape Town) weekly newsletter:
speaking at the Africa rail conference, he said a feasibility
study has been completed and the corporation is looking to Montana was presented with
partner with the private sector on the project. the Africa rail Personality
of the Year on 5 June at the
[A line of about 4km is envisaged, branching off the langa- sandton Convention Centre in
sarepta route east of bonteheuwel. – editor] Johannesburg.
“The CeO was voted
Personality of the Year by
4 - 6 march 2009 rail operators, transport
Cape Town
authorities, suppliers, media
and stakeholders on the African
continent,” blits continues.
hEalth train Wins aWard “The award was in recognition
Transnet’s Phelophepa health-Care Train, inaugurated in of Montana’s contribution to
1993, has won the united Nations Public service Award
Tshepo Lucky Montana, SARCC CEO the development and growth
(uNPsA) in the category of improved delivery of services. of the rail engineering industry
(photo: Blits)
The awards ceremony formed part of celebrations for the uN and the rail passenger
Public service Day, which recognises the value and virtue of
transport sector, his promotion of innovation in the industry,
public service to the community.
and the CeO’s visionary leadership in the industry and
the passenger transport sector as a whole. he realised
that the provision of critical and scarce engineering and
technical skills will soon prove a challenge, but his vision
of a rail training institution came to fruition this year with the
establishment of the Centre for Public Transport studies.
The centre is based in the faculty of engineering and built
environment at the university of Cape Town. it undertakes
multi-disciplinary research and teaching within the public
transport realm.
“With conservation uppermost in the minds of south Africans,
the future of public transport in general, and rail in particular,
has never been this rosy. There is light at the end of the
tunnel,” blits concludes, “and the public can be assured that
it is an oncoming train - a clean and punctual express.”
transnEt punCtuality
South Africa’s UN-award-winning Phelophepa health train, which brings optical, Transnet Freight rail (TFr) CeO siyabonga Gama told
dental, psychiatric and many other medical services to outlying communities delegates at the annual Africa rail conference in June that
across the land. the organisation had come from “a low service level base”,
where it “didn’t even measure” statistics such as punctuality.
mEtrorail farEs subsidisEd 67% At present, he said, average journey times on TFr’s busiest
Addressing the Africa rail conference, south African rail route – Johannesburg-Durban – have been reduced from
Commuter Corporation CeO lucky Montana said government 22 hours to between 15 and 16. Countrywide, 60% on-time
subsidises Metrorail tickets by an average 67%. Metrorail is arrival and departures are being achieved on average and
suffering from years of underinvestment, he explained, which “steady progress” is being made in reducing this figure. This
has driven down passenger levels. No less than 100 million in itself represents a substantial improvement in a situation
passenger trips have been lost in ten years. An investment where previously trains were expected to arrive “within a day
of at least r25 billion is needed over the next three years, or two” of scheduled time.
Montana suggests.
some 80% of Metrorail’s passengers are working class males
earning less than r2,500 a month.
Metrorail tickets: 67% subsidised Today’s train – or yesterday’s?
22 RAILWAYS AFRICA 3 | 2008 www.railwaysafrica.com

25. Secretary General – Union of African Railways
The position for Secretary General for the Union of African Railways will The Secretary General of the UAR is an elected position:
become vacant soon and candidates are requested to apply for the
position to be installed in the position in November 2008. quot;The Secretary General shall be elected by the General Assembly on the
basis of a curriculum vitae presented by his railway of origin for a four-year
The Union of African Railways is an organisation of railway and railway term of office renewable only once for a further 3 yearsquot;. The renewing of
related companies and departments from member countries of the African the term will be based on good performance and will be subject to a vote by
Union. The UAR aims to ensure the following: members of the Union.
• Improvement in the running of railways in Africa
• Expansion to current railway networks to ensure regional interconnectivity Candidates should fulfil the following conditions:
• The standardisation of railways in Africa to ensure future interoperability 1. Be national of member states of AU and ECA
in order to facilitate the flow of goods and passengers between African 2. Have a minimum of 10 years railway experience at least 3 years of which
countries. must have been in a management position
• Promote the cooperation between member railways in order to facilitate 3. Have a University degree
an improvement in systems and processes that would result in a 4. Have a mastery of either English or French, knowledge of both will be an
reduction of costs, improvement in the quality of service and the creation added advantage.
of common standards and processes.
In accordance with the UAR Rules and Regulations as amended from time
The UAR is therefore inviting interested candidates to apply for the position to time, the Secretary General’s salary is paid by his railway and the annual
of Secretary General of the Union of African Railways. The following is an allowance in the amount of US 42,000 that shall be paid by the UAR.
extract from the Constitution of the UAR concerning the Secretary General:
The Secretary General is provided with free accommodation at the residence
1. The Secretary General shall be the head of the General Secretariat. He placed at the disposal of the Union by the Government of DRC and enjoys
shall be responsible for applying the work programme of the Union and free transportation provided by the Union.
shall implement the decisions of the General Assembly and of the
Executive Board. The Secretary General of the UAR will be a member of the Diplomatic Corps
and will enjoy Diplomatic Immunity in the DRC.
2. The Secretary General shall be appointed by the General Assembly on the
basis of a curriculum vitae presented by his Railway for a three (4) year - Candidates, and their curriculum vitae, will be scrutinised and vetted by the
term of office. This term of office can be renewed once for a further 3 Executive Board to assess their professional competence before their
years through recommendation and unanimous agreement of the candidatures are all submitted to the General Assembly for election.
General assembly - Management and professional staff are seconded from their Railways but
continue to be paid directly by their Railways, at the scales of remuneration
3. The Secretary General shall provide secretarial services to the General prevailing in their railways, the basic salary, monthly allowances and pension
Assembly and the Executive Board and convene their meetings in contributions.
accordance with this Constitution and any rules made under the
provisions of paragraph 5 of Article 3 and paragraph 1 of Article 4 of Interested candidates are required to forward their letter of interest,
this Constitution. Curriculum Vitae together with a letter of support from their current Railway
or state department to:
4. The Head of the General Secretariat shall be called the Secretary General
and shall be entitled to attend in an advisory capacity all meetings of the Per Address:
General Assembly and the Executive Board.
The President of the UAR
The General Secretariat shall: The Chief Executive
Transnet Freight Rail
a) prepare the provisional programme of activities, budget and accounts of Private Bag X47
the union and its organs and submit them to the Executive Board for Johannesburg
consideration; 2000
b) ensure the dissemination of the decision of the organs of the Union to the
members of the Union and their implementation, and Or email: lindi.dlamini3@transnet.net
c) Perform any of the functions that may be delegated to it by the
Executive Board. Applications close on 25.09.2008 and interviews will be held in Johannes-
d) Propose to the Executive Board, the appointment and the renewal of burg, South Africa during 1st 2 weeks in October 2008. Your railway should
contracts for staff of the General Secretariat and takes disciplinary be prepared to cover the cost of the air- ticket to attend the interview.
actions concerning the staff.
5. The Secretary General shall unless otherwise provided, represent the
Union at meetings where the Union is required to be represented. A list of
all meetings will be presented to the Executive Committee that will
approve the meetings to be attended by the Union.
U. C.
A.R A.
. U.