South Africa’s rail reform: En route to implementation

Vivien and Haafizah noted that South Africa’s rail sector is shifting from diagnosis to delivery. The challenges are well-known: a shortage of operational trains, ageing infrastructure, theft and vandalism, and operational inefficiencies that create bottlenecks extending into the ports.

Vivien and Haafizah highlighted that, unlike last year’s audit-focused phase, meaningful progress is now underway. With evolving policy, growing industry participation, and increased access to capital, the priority is disciplined execution to achieve reliable passenger and freight services.

They also pointed to the policy direction set in 2020 under the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, where government committed to enabling third-party access to the core rail network, a key step in restoring efficiency and competitiveness.

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