Broken-rail detection is one of the functions lost as operators move from track circuits to axle counters, and a sensor that carries no copper and no batteries answers the other half of the South African problem, which is that trackside equipment is stolen.
The investment is in the company rather than in any new deployment, so what follows will be measured in installed sensors on South African track and in whether the United States trials and the European contacts turn into orders.
- Octoco Group has acquired a strategic equity stake in HisWay Labs, the Cape-based developer of the TrackView® rail-integrity monitoring system.
- TrackView® monitors rail integrity and train positioning, and the solar-powered sensor contains no copper cabling and no batteries.
- The system holds formal certification and product type approval from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.
- It has been deployed commercially in partnership with Siemens Mobility.
- The technology is in active field trials in the United States, and HisWay Labs is exhibiting at InnoTrans in Germany.
- HisWay Labs is led by CEO Franz Struwig, who previously co-founded the radar firm iKubu, acquired by Garmin.
Technology investment and product development firm Octoco Group has acquired a strategic equity stake in HisWay Labs (Pty) Ltd, the Cape-based company behind TrackView®, a rail-integrity monitoring system built for the realities of South Africa's rail network and now drawing international attention.
The investment comes at a critical moment for South African logistics. Rail is the backbone of the country's mining, agriculture and manufacturing supply chains, yet years of cable theft, vandalism and undetected track failures have pushed freight onto roads, driven up costs and eroded confidence in the network. Restoring rail as a dependable, cost-effective way to move goods and people is widely recognised as one of the highest-impact levers for economic recovery.
Built for South Africa's Hardest Conditions
TrackView® was designed from the ground up for an environment where conventional rail equipment simply does not survive. The solar-powered sensor contains no copper cabling and no batteries, the two components that make traditional trackside infrastructure a prime target for theft. It is engineered to withstand extreme heat, dust, flooding and deliberate tampering, and to keep monitoring rail integrity and train positioning around the clock without the maintenance burden that legacy systems demand.
For operators, that means fewer service disruptions, earlier warning of broken rails before they cause derailments, and infrastructure that stays in the ground rather than disappearing overnight. For the economy, it means a more reliable path to getting minerals to port, produce to market and commuters to work.
Proven at Home, Ready for the World
TrackView® has already earned formal certification and product type approval from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and has been deployed commercially in partnership with Siemens Mobility. The technology is now in active field trials in the United States, and HisWay Labs is exhibiting in September 2026 at InnoTrans in Germany, the world's largest transport technology trade fair, to build European distribution and operator partnerships.
The global relevance is clear. Rail operators worldwide are moving from legacy track circuits to axle counters, a shift that improves train detection but removes traditional broken-rail monitoring. At the same time, infrastructure theft is a growing problem far beyond South Africa. A solution hardened in one of the world's toughest rail environments is well positioned to serve networks everywhere.
“South Africa has a long tradition of solving hard engineering problems out of necessity,” said Heinrich de Lange, Octoco Group's MD. “HisWay Labs has turned one of our most damaging infrastructure challenges into a globally competitive product. Backing them is a chance to help restore confidence in our own rail network while proving that world-class industrial hardware can come from here.”
Proven Leadership
HisWay Labs is led by CEO Franz Struwig, a seasoned technology entrepreneur who previously co-founded radar innovation firm iKubu, acquired by Garmin. Struwig heads a specialised engineering team with deep expertise across electronics, hardware, software, data communications and railway technology.
