In 2013, about 71 percent of the 734-million tons of freight in South Africa was moved by road, despite the fact that railways make up 80 percent of Africa’s infrastructure, according to a PWC report.
Over the next four years, South Africa plans to shift its freight transportation from road to rail, cutting carbon emissions and costs in the process.
Railfreight volumes are projected to increase from about 200 million tons to 350 million tons by the end of the program, according to South Africa’s Market Development Strategy overview.