The Waterberg region has 40% of South Africa"™s remaining coal reserves and is regarded as the next strategic growth node of the coal sector. The availability of infrastructure is critical to unlock the region"™s potential and is a pre-requisite for current and future mining developments. The investment will secure rail transport capacity from Waterberg for export market and for domestic (Eskom) consumption.
This project will be rolled out in a phased approach to align to validated demand. The funded projects at this stage includes:
- Stage 2, which refers to capital investment to grow capacity to 6,3mtpa through incremental upgrades of the existing rail networks and yards by means of additional loops, maintaining the existing 20 axle loads, level crossings, strengthening of Steel bridges, electrical upgrades and improved train control systems
- Stage 3-5 Feasibility study is meant to develop engineering solution to meet the validated demand and the for capacity of 24mtpa
- Rolling stock yard.
<ol>
<li>Construct new 200W Marakele loop at between Thabazimbi & Matlabas (i.e. Km 27.400 - Km 30.700)</li>
<li>Construct new 200W Diepspruit loop at between Matlabas & Lephalale (i.e. Km 79.100 - Km 82.200)</li>
<li>Extend the existing Boshoek loop to accommodate 100W trains (i.e. between Km 132.82 - Km 135.78)</li>
<li>Construct a new 100W loop between Heystekrand and Kgetleng (i.e. between Km 159.55 - Km 160.95)</li>
<li>Two level crossings were identified in both Brits and Rustenburg for improvement or elimination.
<ul>
<li>Km 56.114 (Kruis Street, Brits) - Close level crossing</li>
<li>Km 57.018 (R511, Brits) - Upgrade level of protection to 6B</li>
<li>Km 111.328 ( Kerk Street, Rustenburg) - Close level crossing</li>
<li>Km 114.265 (Dr. Moroka Street, Rustenburg) - Upgrade level of protection to 6B</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>4 x Steel bridges have reached their fatigue life limit and therefore should be strengthened.
<ul>
<li>Crocodile River Bridge - at Km 58.300</li>
<li>Sterkstroom River Bridge - at Km 87.611</li>
<li>Hex River Bridge - at Km 108.060</li>
<li>Crocodile River Bridge - at Km 242.800</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Construction of RESGEN’s Network Stabilisation Facilities (NSF) at Lephalale.</li>
</ol>
<p>OBJECTIVES:<br />
1. To provide coal export capacity just ahead of demand of the growing Waterberg coal fields.<br />
2. Provide a rail solution that enables the market to export coal profitably through Richards Bay as well as supply coal to the domestic market.<br />
3. Be catalytic infrastructure to facilitate mining growth and expansion in the Waterberg area.<br />
4. Create (at minimum) additional 10 mtpa coal volumes to TFR"'s MDS plan, between Lephalale and Pyramid South.<br />
5. Contribute profitable business volumes to TFR.<br />
6. Manage the risk of over capacitating the Waterberg corridor.<br />
7. To improve the throughput of trains between Lephalale and Thabazimbi.<br />
8. Reduce cost of logistics (% of transportable GDP). The cost of logistics from the Lephalale area must be competitive with the cost of logistics in the Mpumalanga area.</p>
<p>BENEFITS:<br />
1. Benefits to be first realized in 2019/20 financial year.<br />
2. The indirect benefit to Transnet is increased capacity to the Port Terminals and Ports Authority business units, in fact increased volumes will improve the viability of these divisions"' infrastructure expansion plans.</p>