Government and opposition deadlock on private sector role in rail

THE MK Party has rejected Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy's Request for Information (RFI) to attract private sector investment in the country’s rail network.

- SIYABONGA SITHOLE [e-mail]

In a statement on Monday, the MK Party accused the minister of trying to privatise the sector through this move after the department had issued a request for information.

“The MK Party has consistently rejected government reforms, including this third-party access to the Transnet rail network as well as the separation of ‘Transnet’s freight rail into two divisions. The RFI is a deceptive strategy to let the private sector dictate terms.

“If the government had a clear plan, it would have issued a Request for Proposals with defined objectives. Instead, this is a fishing expedition to justify its failed private sector participation framework," the party said through its spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela.

This comes as the minister indicated that the government was looking to the private sector to help revitalise the ailing rail system.

Creecy decried the country’s over-reliance on road transport, which she said has made products far more expensive than they would be if they were moved across the country through rail transport.