South Africa loses between R150-billion and R300-billion a year because ageing infrastructure, theft, and vandalism have left 16% of iron ore, 12% of coal, and 24% of other export mining products stranded off rail. To rehabilitate the ore line would cost R10-billion, while the coal line could cost between R10-billion and R15-billion, according to the draft National Rail Master Plan published in April 2026.

Road freight has grown from 53.5-million tonnes in January 2008 to 78.5-million tonnes in 2026, while rail has barely moved, according to Land Transport Survey data from Statistics South Africa.

To transport more freight by rail, the Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager announced on 13 May 2026 that 11 private Train Operating Companies had been allocated slots across five corridors, adding 24-million tonnes of freight capacity, with potential to scale to 52-million tonnes over five years. But the real target is 250-million tonnes per year by 2030.