Zambia Positioned as Key Player in Africa’s Rail Expansion
Zambia Key to Africa’s Rail Growth: South Africa Highlights TAZARA and Regional Corridors
South Africa’s Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, has highlighted Zambia’s pivotal role in Africa’s rail transformation, emphasizing the Tanzania–Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) and other regional corridors as essential drivers of trade and economic growth.
Speaking at the Southern African Railways Association (SARA) International Rail Conference 2025 on Tuesday, Creecy called for a decisive shift from planning to implementation across the continent’s railway sector.
She stressed that rail transport must become a key catalyst for continental integration, economic opportunity, and sustainable mobility, positioning Zambia to benefit significantly from new investments and policy reforms.
Creecy detailed how South Africa’s National Rail Master Plan, aligned with the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) Regional Rail Master Plan, will guide rail modernization over the next 30 years.
The plan identifies priority corridors, defines investment programs, and clarifies stakeholder roles, ensuring cohesive development that better connects landlocked economies like Zambia to seaports and regional markets.
Highlighting regional progress, Creecy cited projects such as the Lobito Corridor in Angola, the Nacala Corridor spanning Mozambique and Malawi, the Beitbridge–Bulawayo Railway in Zimbabwe, and particularly the TAZARA line linking Zambia with Tanzania.
“We are already seeing significant investments in upgrading and expanding rail networks across Africa,” she said.
“For Zambia, projects like TAZARA and Lobito offer lifelines to global trade routes, lowering costs and unlocking new economic opportunities.”
A cornerstone of South Africa’s strategy is the National Rail Policy, which preserves state ownership of rail infrastructure while allowing third-party operators to access the network.
Last week, Creecy announced that eleven private operators had been selected to run services on 41 routes across six corridors, with contracts of up to ten years.
According to the Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM), these Train Operating Companies (TOCs) could carry an additional 20 million tons of freight annually starting in 2026/27.
This initiative supports the government’s target of shifting 250 million tons of freight to rail by 2029, reducing road congestion and enhancing Zambia’s connectivity through regional corridors.
Creecy also revealed that South Africa will issue a Request for Information (RFI) in September to gauge private sector interest in commuter rail investment.
The objective is to restore the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) network to 600 million annual passenger journeys within five years, a development expected to inspire similar reforms across the region.
Industry stakeholders welcomed these initiatives. The Road Freight Association (RFA) praised the inclusion of private operators while urging the government to ensure regulatory support and timely rail infrastructure upgrades.
Acting CEO Kevin van der Merwe stated that the reforms could “position South Africa and its neighbours, including Zambia, as efficient, cost-effective logistics hubs for Africa.”
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) also emphasized the need for transparency in agreements with private operators, while calling for measures to address challenges such as cable theft and vandalism.
