At the International Heavy Haul Association Technical Workshop in Cape Town, Railways Africa spoke to Nixon Dlamini, Chief Executive Officer of Eswatini Railways and President of the Southern African Railways Association.

Dlamini discusses SARA’s objective of supporting the seamless movement of regional rail traffic and the need for greater coordination across infrastructure, operating standards and heavy-haul requirements.

For Eswatini Railways, understanding developments in neighbouring networks is particularly important because South African commodities and rolling stock move through Eswatini. The country also sits between routes serving Richards Bay and, once the planned rail connection is completed, Maputo.

Dlamini provides an update on the Eswatini Rail Link, confirming that Eswatini Railways and Transnet are working to establish the appropriate procurement mechanism. Syndicates of regional and international financiers have been given access to project data, to review the material accumulated during the project’s development.

The first phase of resettlement in Eswatini is complete, the government has committed to completing phase two and the servitudes have been cleared. Dlamini says that, if financial close is achieved this year, he estimates that the link could be completed within a further three years.

The interview also covers the Mmamabula–Lephalale connection in Botswana, ongoing discussions with Mozambique’s CFM and the successful testing of 85-wagon and 160-wagon trains with Transnet Freight Rail.