Railways Africa

Transport economics specialist Andrew Marsay, quoted by I-Net Bridge, says the background to the use of rail in SA agriculture goes back to the 1913 South African Railways & Harbours Act (SAR&H). It set out a twofold mandate for the railway: to operate profitably, and to open up the country for mining, agriculture and manufacturing. “SAR&H set about the task with vigour,” Marsay says, “and much of the rail network as we know it today – other than the main intercity routes – was built during the next 10 years. The company succeeded in both elements of its mandate, though sometimes going to government for additional funding if it felt that a good economic case existed for opening up a new area, even though revenues could not fund the required investment.”