THE government is conducting a feasibility study to introduce a high-speed rail development between Pretoria, Johannesburg and Durban, says Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula.
Presenting to parliament’s select committee on transport on Wednesday (25 August), Mbalula said that the planned development will carry passengers as well as freight.
He said that the government is also looking to overhaul its freight-by-rail plans, and is working on an updated rail policy for the country, currently being developed as a white paper.
Mbalula warned that the recent unrest seen in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng will cause long-term damage to the country’s cargo and freight industry. The closure of the N3 had a significant impact on traffic volumes that rely on the highway and that the major route typically has traffic is in excess of 6,000 heavy vehicles per day.
The four-day closure of the N3 meant R12 billion worth of goods did not
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