Transnet to re-open freight rail services after safety assessment 

Logistics parastatal Transnet says it will only re-open freight rail services on its North East Corridor after a full safety assessment and the line has been certified as safe for normal running of train traffic.

Traffic on the line was suspended on Friday as heavy rains damaged rail infrastructure. The corridor, which mostly moves mineral commodities, links South Africa to Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Transnet said on Saturday that inclement weather in Mpumalanga and Limpopo adversely affected its Freight Rail operations in the North-East Corridor.

Cross-border operations to the Maputo port and the TCM Matola terminal in Mozambique also came to a standstill due to flooding.

Transnet said this affected the movement of magnetite, rock phosphate, chrome and ferrochrome.