Ramaphosa Pushes for Rail As Backbone of Country’s Transport System, SA Slams Years of Inaction
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has discussed the importance of a sustainable and effective rail system to boost South Africa's economy
- The South African president noted that transport inefficiencies were costing the economy nearly a billion rand daily
- South Africans took to social media to criticise and question the delayed awareness of the country's transport issues
Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG – President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a sustainable transport system that can drive economic growth and development, saying that rail needs to be the backbone of the country’s logistics network.
Ramaphosa made the comments at the inaugural National Transport Conference at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on Monday, 16 March 2026. While the president emphasised the need for modernisation, collaboration, and greater accessibility within the transport sector, South Africans questioned why it took him so long to realise that.
What did Ramaphosa say?
During his speech, the president noted that the deteriorating rail network and congested ports were putting a strain on the South African economy.
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“Inefficiencies in logistics are estimated to cost our economy close on, believe it or not, a billion rand a day. That is a cost we should not and need not bear. We therefore need to do something about it," the president said.
Ramaphosa added that approximately 69 per cent of all freight is currently moved on the country’s roads, placing immense pressure on the network and contributing to road damage.
He added that as part of the government's reform agenda, the focus was on the National Rail Policy of 2022 and the National Freight Logistics Roadmap of 2023.
Source: Getty Images
Government to prioritise freight and passenger systems
The president noted the need for an effective freight and passenger rail system.
Ramaphosa explained that through the establishment of the Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager, private operators would have access to the rail network. As a result, 24 million tonnes of freight slots were awarded to 11 private companies. Operations are set to begin in April 2027.
He also noted that the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) revived 37 of its 40 priority passenger rail corridors.
"We are targeting 116 million passenger journeys this financial year, on our way to 600 million trips by 2029," the president said.
South Africans weigh in on Ramaphosa’s statement
Social media users weighed in on the president’s statement, with many questioning whether he had only realised the state of the country’s transport industry now.
South Africans have often called for a reliable rail service to reduce the need for trucks and taxis on the road and reminded Ramaphosa of this.
Theresa de Fortier said:
“It took a long time for him to realise that. He must have been shocked and surprised.”
Carlynn-Jaco Jonker sarcastically stated:
“Wow, he is very clever to recognise this after years.”
Teboho Metsing noted:
“He is finally admitting that rail is important now. So why didn't they stop it from failing when it was clear that there were problems in the beginning?”
Elize Ferreira stated:
“It could have been prevented by maintaining it. So, who is to blame?”
Louise Galloway agreed:
“The infrastructure was already there. You were just supposed to maintain it, Cupcake. You couldn't even do that. All your fault.”
High-speed rail link between Durban and Johannesburg is one step closer
Briefly News reported that a feasibility study for a high-speed rail link between Durban and Johannesburg is officially underway.
Government leaders say the proposed line could slash travel time by nearly three hours and strengthen connections between the cities.
If approved, the project could boost tourism, business travel, and broader economic growth in both provinces.
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Source: Briefly News
