KZN-Gauteng high-speed rail project: study underway

The feasibility study to build a high-speed train connecting KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng is underway, marking significant strides in the implementation of this project.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli said they will soon be engaging with the Passenger Rail Agency of South African (PRASA) to establish the progress of the feasibility study.

It has been stated that the construction of the train project could reduce the travelling time between the two provinces by close to three hours.

Ntuli stated they are engaging with the relevant stakeholders, such as PRASA, to get a sense of the status of the project.

“We are in agreement that we need certainty in terms of where this is because we learned from the previous sitting (with the national government department and unit) that feasibility is in progress.

“Now we need to know where we are in terms of the feasibility study; that is part of the engagement. We have requested PRASA to confirm where we are now in terms of this project,” he said. While giving his State of the Nation address recently, President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke about the proposed high-speed rail project.

“We continue preparations for the introduction of high-speed rail in South Africa, covering routes such as Johannesburg to Musina and eThekwini to Johannesburg.

“Nearly 30 companies indicated their willingness to participate in high-speed rail corridors when we put out a request for information last year. We are preparing to send out a request for proposals, which will introduce a new era of long-distance rail travel in South Africa. We are determined to compete in a rapidly changing global economy,” he said.

Durban mayor Cyril Xaba also expressed excitement that the high-speed rail project, which will make travel between Durban and Johannesburg faster and more efficient, is progressing well and remains on track.

“We welcomed the issuing of the Request for Information (RFI) by the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, for regional speed trains linking the cities of Durban, Johannesburg, Polokwane, Musina, Pretoria, and Mbombela.”

The City said Xaba has been constantly engaging the minister and entities reporting to her, such as the PRASA and Transnet, on initiatives including the speed train from Durban to Johannesburg, enhancing the efficiency of the port and rail infrastructure upgrades.

“I am pleased that all these engagements are yielding positive results. I must indicate that during these engagements, I have been constantly emphasising to the minister and her team the importance of resuscitating the speed train project.

“As a City, we welcome this move as it will boost the economy of the city, especially the tourism sector. Upon completion, thousands of people from Gauteng will descend on Durban on a weekly basis for business and tourism,” said Xaba.

The City stated that this train could present a significant change in travel. “It is likely to cut travelling time between Durban and Johannesburg by at least three hours.

“This will boost tourism in the city as more people from Johannesburg will spend their weekends in Durban. They can also leave Johannesburg in the morning and easily return to Johannesburg the same day.”

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