As South Africa’s state-owned rail and ports operator, Transnet SOC Ltd., struggles with crippling inefficiencies, neighboring Botswana is exploring an alternative route for its exports: a 1,500-kilometer railway to a Namibian port, bypassing South Africa entirely.
Minister of Transport and Public Works Eric Molale revealed unsolicited bids have poured in from investors keen on building the “Trans-Kalahari Railway.” Delays at South African ports, some exceeding two weeks, have become a drag on Botswana’s economy, which relies heavily on trade through that route.
“Companies in the Johannesburg and Pretoria area, going west or east, could cover the same distance via Namibia,” Molale noted, highlighting the potential appeal of the new route even for South African businesses.
Transnet’s woes, including plummeting coal shipments and crippling port gridlock, have impacted neighboring economies like Botswana, a major diamond producer and beef exporter dependent on South African infrastructure. The new railway could bring relief, not just for Botswana, but potentially for South African companies seeking shorter travel times to ports.
While coal exports were initially envisioned as the Trans-Kalahari Railway’s primary purpose, declining prices have shifted the focus to the booming Kalahari Copperbelt in western Botswana. The line would stretch from Gaborone, Botswana’s capital, through the Kalahari desert to Gobabis in Namibia and onward to the Atlantic port of Walvis Bay.
This push for alternative routes is not unique to Botswana. The United States is backing a railway project in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, while China is aiming to connect Zambia with Dar es Salaam port in Tanzania.
The urgency for efficient export avenues stems from the vital role minerals like copper and cobalt play in the global transition to clean energy. With 12 companies already expressing interest in the Trans-Kalahari Railway, Botswana and Namibia, who established a joint project office in 2015, are moving forward. A request for proposals is expected in March 2024, with construction potentially kicking off by January 2025.
As Botswana seeks to disentangle its trade from South Africa’s logistical woes, the Trans-Kalahari Railway emerges as a beacon of hope, not just for its own exports, but potentially for regional trade as a whole. Whether it can attract enough investment and navigate the complexities of construction remains to be seen, but the momentum is undeniable.
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