Botswana Railways is addressing freight growth on two fronts: restoring the availability of its existing locomotive fleet while seeking additional capacity through private-sector participation. For Morupule Coal Mine, the immediate objective is to increase the proportion of coal moving by rail as production and market demand develop.
If BR can raise locomotive availability and secure sufficient additional logistics capacity, the railway could capture a larger share of traffic currently moving by road. That would strengthen utilisation of the national rail network while supporting BR’s broader commercial and recapitalisation objectives.
- Four recently maintained Botswana Railways locomotives returned to service following receipt of traction motors and interface modules, announced 21 August 2026.
- Botswana Railways and Ntokoto Holdings have established a partnership through a special purpose vehicle, announced 25 August 2026.
- The partnership is intended to provide additional logistics capacity for Morupule Coal Mine.
- Botswana Railways says the majority of Morupule Coal Mine's freight currently moves by road.
- The operator intends to increase rail's share of Morupule traffic progressively as production and market opportunities develop.
- Not disclosed: the additional capacity involved, the assets or services Ntokoto Holdings will provide, the locomotive classes returned to traffic, and any start date for the SPV.
Botswana Railways (BR) is pursuing additional freight capacity through a partnership with Ntokoto Holdings to support the requirements of Morupule Coal Mine (MCM), while four recently maintained locomotives have returned to service following the receipt of critical spares.
The Ntokoto partnership has been established through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and forms part of BR’s wider transformation and recapitalisation programme. The arrangement is intended to augment the railway’s existing capacity by drawing on private-sector capabilities, while BR retains its rail infrastructure, operational expertise and established customer relationship with MCM.
MCM currently moves a smaller proportion of its freight by rail, with the majority transported by road. Botswana Railways intends to increase the rail share progressively as the mine’s production and market opportunities expand, creating a requirement for additional logistics capacity.
BR said the partnership reflects its move towards using strategic partnerships to increase capacity, improve reliability and strengthen commercial performance. The operator also expects a greater shift of freight from road to rail to reduce pressure on Botswana’s road infrastructure, including congestion and maintenance requirements, while lowering the environmental impacts associated with road freight.
The capacity programme is being accompanied by work on BR’s locomotive fleet. The railway recently received traction motors and interface modules required for four locomotives that had undergone maintenance, allowing the units to be fully operationalised and returned to service.
Botswana Railways said the intervention forms part of its wider programme of fleet renewal and operational improvement, with locomotive availability regarded as central to improving service continuity and reliability.
The two developments address different elements of BR’s capacity programme. The locomotive work increases the availability of existing traction, while the Ntokoto arrangement is intended to provide additional logistics capacity for growing freight requirements.
For Morupule Coal Mine traffic, Botswana Railways’ stated objective is to progressively increase the proportion of freight moving by rail from its current minority share.
