Creecy to detail private sector plans for SA's rail and ports as investment interest soars

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy is set to unveil the results of the government’s Request for Information (RFI) process for private sector participation in rail and port freight, and announce a similar initiative for passenger rail services.

The move forms part of the government’s broader plan to modernise the country’s transport network and attract private investment to improve reliability, safety, and efficiency across rail corridors.

It also aims to help the Transport Department meet its target of 600 million passenger rail trips by 2030.

The RFI results will include feedback from potential investors and operators for three major freight corridors: the Northern Cape to Saldanha bulk minerals corridor, the Limpopo to Richards Bay bulk minerals corridor, and the Intermodal Supply Chain Private Sector Participation Project.

According to the Transport Department, the RFI process attracted 162 formal responses from companies expressing interest in investing, operating, or partnering on South Africa’s freight and logistics corridors.

The department says this strong response reflects growing confidence from the private sector in the government’s efforts to revitalise the rail and port network.

Minister Creecy is expected to outline the next steps toward a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) phase, which will determine how and where private investors can become directly involved in rail operations and infrastructure upgrades.