Transnet Rail Chief Joins African Mining Week 2026

South Africa’s freight network is moving toward a model where private companies can play a greater role alongside Transnet, a shift intended to increase capacity and make better use of existing infrastructure.

Russell Baatjies, Group Chief Executive of Transnet Freight Rail, will join African Mining Week (AMW) 2026 in Cape Town as South Africa pushes ahead with major rail reforms designed to move more minerals, attract private investment and ease logistics constraints that have weighed on the country's mining industry. The event, scheduled for October 14-16, will bring Baatjies into a wider discussion about how Africa can finance the transport infrastructure needed to connect mineral-producing regions with ports, processing centres and international markets.

Baatjies is set to participate in the panel "Regional Connectivity: Financing Africa's Mineral Infrastructure," where Transnet's freight rail modernisation programme and the growing role of private operators are expected to feature prominently. The discussion comes at a critical point for South Africa, which is looking to mobilise R2 trillion for its critical minerals industry while seeking ways to unlock mineral resources that cannot reach their full commercial potential without reliable rail and port capacity.

Private Rail Operators Take a Bigger Role

South Africa's freight network is moving toward a model where private companies can play a greater role alongside Transnet, a shift intended to increase capacity and make better use of existing infrastructure. In May 2026, Transnet signed rail access agreements with 11 Train Operating Companies covering coal, manganese, containers, fuel and general freight, giving private operators greater access to the national network.

The agreements are expected to introduce another 24 million tons of annual freight capacity, with that figure potentially rising to 52 million tons during the next five years. Such growth would support South Africa's plan to increase annual rail volumes from roughly 180 million tons to 250 million tons by 2030, an important target for mining companies that depend on predictable transport to move bulk commodities over long distances.

Transnet added another piece to the reform programme in June by starting procurement for The Leasing Company, a rolling-stock platform intended to improve access to locomotives and wagons for established and emerging operators. Easier access to equipment could help new entrants overcome one of the highest costs of entering the rail market while increasing the use of available assets across the network.

Billions in Financing Back Rail and Port Upgrades

Modernising such a large transport system requires substantial capital, and Transnet has assembled financing from several international development institutions alongside government support. Its funding includes a €300 million loan from Agence Française de Développement, €350 million from the European Investment Bank, a $278 million facility from the New Development Bank and a $1 billion loan from the African Development Bank.

A R94.8 billion government guarantee package is also supporting Transnet's recovery and longer-term investment programme. These resources give the company greater room to address infrastructure constraints and improve the reliability of freight services at a time when mining companies need additional export capacity.

Closer cooperation with producers forms another part of the strategy. Transnet has strengthened relationships with companies including Exxaro Resources, United Manganese of Kalahari, Hotazel Manganese Mines and Tshipi é Ntle Manganese Mining, linking improvements in logistics more directly with the needs of businesses moving large mineral volumes to export markets.

Better Logistics Could Unlock More Mineral Investment

South Africa holds substantial reserves of coal, platinum group metals, manganese, chrome and iron ore, yet the economic value of these resources depends heavily on the country's ability to move them efficiently. The scale of the opportunity is significant, with estimates pointing to around R40 trillion in untapped iron ore resources alone, while the wider critical minerals industry is attracting renewed government and investor attention.

Rail capacity has implications beyond South Africa's borders because mining supply chains increasingly depend on regional corridors connecting landlocked producers with ports and industrial centres. More reliable freight routes can reduce transport costs, make mining projects more attractive to investors and strengthen trade between neighbouring economies, particularly when rail, ports and border infrastructure are planned as connected systems.

Baatjies' appearance at African Mining Week is expected to place these questions at the centre of the infrastructure conversation, exploring how public investment, private operators and development finance can work together to build transport networks capable of supporting the next phase of mineral development.

For mining companies, the success of South Africa's logistics reforms will ultimately be judged by something straightforward: whether minerals can move from mines to markets more reliably, quickly and competitively. The reforms now underway suggest that rail is becoming not just a transport issue, but a central part of the country's strategy for turning mineral wealth into investment, exports and regional economic growth.