Sustainability Report 2012 - Transnet

Economic dividends (continued)Delivery of wagons to client in MozambiqueIn its quest to transform into a dominant manufacturingand engineering centre of excellence on the Africancontinent, Rail Engineering marked a key milestone on15 March 2012 with the Minister of Public Enterprises,Mr Malusi Gigaba marking the delivery of 98 wagons toRio Tinto in Mozambique. These wagons were the last ina total of 200 wagons and spare parts designed,engineered and manufactured at the Rail Engineeringfacility in Uitenhage for Rio Tinto. The first 102 wagonswere shipped in December 2011. In line with Transnet’scommitment to the CSDP, 85,5% of the raw materialsand components used to manufacture the wagons weresourced locally or built in-house. Only the draw-gear anda few specialised components were imported.This represents a significant achievement for RailEngineering’s commitment to increasing productivity andefficiency levels with 50 wagons per month beingmanufactured over a five-month period.“This is a particularly proud moment for usnot only because of the significance of thisachievement but because of the stringentstandards we imposed on ourselves tosatisfy the customer. The design,development and prototyping,industrialisation and starting productionof this new wagon was accomplished inless than five months – an impressive leadtime by any international standards.”Malusi GigabaMinister of Public Enterprises15 March 2012Swazi rail linkAfrica trade is a strategic focus area of Transnet’sFreight Rail business with the southern African railnetwork system providing strategic links betweenlandlocked countries and ports. The establishment of astrategic rail link (146 km) from Ermelo utilising theBuhrmanskop – Lothair branch line to connect with theSwaziland rail network, and onwards to the Port ofRichards Bay and Maputo, in partnership with SwazilandRailways, is a key initiative for Transnet going forward.signifying the first large scale rail investment in southernAfrica since the construction of the Richards Bay line in1976. On completion, an additional capacity of 15,0mtpawill be created which will predominantly be generalfreight volumes from the existing coal export line.Rail Engineerings’ Locomotive Business– Koedoespoort“This day marks our continual thrust to beresponsive to the infrastructural needs ofour regions. We promise to ensure thatsuch new capital investments aretranslated into tangible benefits for thepeople of both Swaziland and SouthAfrica.”Brian MolefeGroup Chief Executive12 January 201244