South Africa: Minister Barbara Creecy Announces Passenger Rail RFI Launch and Rail & Port Freight RFI Results

Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy has announced the release of Requests for Information (RFIs) inviting private sector participation in South Africa’s passenger rail network, alongside the publication of results from the earlier Rail and Port Freight RFI process. The announcement marks a significant step in the country’s drive to make rail the backbone of its transport and logistics system.

The Passenger Rail RFI aims to attract potential private investors to contribute innovative ideas and investment solutions that will guide future Requests for Proposals (RFPs). The Minister noted that by May 2025, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) had successfully recommissioned 35 of its 40 passenger corridors, recording an audited annual total of 77 million passenger journeys. To sustain this recovery trajectory, additional investment beyond government funding is required.

The Passenger Rail RFI covers several focus areas, including fare collection systems, depot modernisation, commercialisation of PRASA’s fibre network, and insights for a new era of long-distance and regional rapid transit. Minister Creecy outlined four key projects open for private sector participation:

Smart Ticketing for Seamless Travel

Plans are underway to implement an integrated, tap-and-go smart ticket system for trains, buses, and taxis. The system aims to improve convenience, streamline fare management, and enhance transparency in revenue collection. The private sector’s role will be essential in delivering the necessary technology and operational capacity.

Modernising PRASA’s Train Depots

The Department of Transport is seeking private partners to upgrade PRASA’s major maintenance depots at Braamfontein and Wolmerton. This initiative is expected to improve turnaround times for train repairs, enhance reliability, create local employment, and stimulate investment around depot areas.

Commercialising PRASA’s Fibre Network

PRASA’s rollout of thousands of kilometres of fibre-optic cable, part of its new signalling system, presents opportunities for private partners to help monetise the network. The initiative seeks to use this infrastructure to provide broadband and digital services, while improving safety and real-time operational communication within the rail network.

Regional Rapid Train Projects

The Department is exploring the introduction of faster, regional train services connecting cities such as Pretoria, Johannesburg, Polokwane, Musina, Mbombela, and Durban. The plan includes upgrading existing lines for speeds up to 120 km/h, developing new 160–200 km/h regional lines, and testing a 300 km/h high-speed corridor between Johannesburg and Durban. These developments are intended to reduce travel times and costs while boosting regional economic growth and reducing pressure on road networks.

Further to these initiatives, the RFI also seeks private sector input on the leasing and management of PRASA’s rolling stock. This includes both the new blue trains manufactured at the Gibela plant in Nigel and the repurposing of older yellow trains. Private operators are invited to manage these fleets under clear performance standards, ensuring reliability and safety. In parallel, the Department aims to strengthen South Africa’s position as a regional train manufacturing hub aligned with the African Union’s 2015 resolution promoting local industrial capacity.

Minister Creecy emphasised that the RFIs are not procurement tenders but rather an open call to the market to help design the future of South Africa’s rail system. The government’s goal is to rebuild public confidence in rail transport, unlock investment, and create new growth opportunities across the economy.

Freight RFI Results and Policy Context

The Rail and Port Freight RFI forms part of the government’s broader Freight Logistics Roadmap, designed to restore reliability and competitiveness in goods movement. It also advances implementation of the National Rail Policy (2022), National Ports Policy, and the Private Sector Participation (PSP) Framework (2023), which together reaffirm public ownership of core infrastructure while encouraging private investment to enhance performance.

To support this process, the Department of Transport has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the National Treasury, appointing DBSA as the implementing agent for the PSP Unit. This unit is being capacitated to develop conceptual frameworks for bid windows and subsequent RFPs.

The freight RFI process, launched on 23 March 2025, attracted 162 formal responses, 52 from international entities across 12 countries, before closing on 30 May 2025. Based on these results, Transnet is expected to issue its first RFP before the end of 2025, followed by three additional RFPs in the first half of 2026.

Passenger Rail Growth Targets

To advance the recovery of passenger rail, the Department has set a target of achieving 600 million passenger journeys per year by 2030. This ambition relies on strong collaboration with the private sector to build a modern, efficient, and inclusive transport system that drives industrial competitiveness and regional integration.

Accessing the RFIs

The RFI analysis results and new passenger rail RFI are available on the Department of Transport and DBSA websites or directly via https://www.psp-rfi.co.za/

Interested and Affected Parties must register online to access the reports and submit their input. The freight analysis results will remain open for comment for 30 days, while the Passenger Rail RFI will be open from 26 October to 15 December 2025.