South Africa’s transport and logistics system is at a critical point. Years of underinvestment in logistics infrastructure, together with the post-pandemic decline in rail and port performance, have weakened national competitiveness and created opportunities for neighbouring countries to capture regional cargo flows.
That was one of the key messages from Transport Minister Barbara Creecy’s opening address at SATC 2026, delivered on 6 July under the theme “Developing and Sustaining Transport Systems in an Uncertain World.”
Creecy acknowledged that transport disruption affects far more than movement from one point to another. It affects passenger journeys, freight flows, supply chain efficiency, jobs, trade, and the wider economy.
Rail and port reform remain central
Creecy said rail and port reform are now at the centre of government’s agenda for the transport sector. The priority is to rebuild rail as the backbone of South Africa’s freight logistics system and support a strategic shift from road to rail.
This shift is not only about freight efficiency. Greater use of rail can improve road safety, reduce congestion, lower wear and tear on road infrastructure, and reduce transport-related CO2 emissions.
The most significant rail reform is the opening of the national rail network to private train operators. Creecy confirmed that 11 private Train Operating Companies were approved in March to access the network, with operations due to commence in April 2027.
These operators are expected to bring expertise and capital to rail operations, while the network remains state-owned. Government’s target is to move 250 million tonnes of freight on the Transnet rail network by 2030.
Recovery signs, but execution remains key
Creecy also highlighted progress in passenger rail recovery. Over the past two years, 35 of 40 priority rail lines have been recovered, including work on signalling, stations, and perway infrastructure.
PRASA passenger trips increased from 10 million in 2020/21 to 101 million in 2025/26, with a target of 600 million passenger trips by 2030/31, in line with pre-pandemic passenger levels.
The locally manufactured Isitimela Sabantu, or “People’s Train,” has been introduced on recovered lines, providing a safer, more affordable alternative for commuters.
Ports were also part of the address. Creecy noted that private sector participation projects linked to the Ngqura Manganese Export Corridor, Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal, and container terminal infrastructure are expected to go to market during the current financial year.
Sustainability and digital reform
Creecy made it clear that transport reform cannot be separated from sustainability, climate resilience, and digitalisation.
She pointed to the Ngqura Liquid Gas Terminal, progress on Boegoebaai Port, green hydrogen plans, and sustainable aviation fuel initiatives as examples of transport infrastructure becoming part of South Africa’s wider energy transition.
Digitalisation is also moving into sharper focus. The Department of Transport and its 20 entities plan to develop a single digitised transport sector platform that will host online permitting services through one common citizen interface.
From policy to performance
The opening address presented a transport sector in transition. The policy direction is clear: rebuild rail, improve ports, attract private sector participation, reduce emissions, and modernise transport administration.
For cargo owners, logistics providers, investors, commuters, and the wider economy, the real measure will be delivery. South Africa’s transport reset will not be judged by reform announcements alone, but by whether freight moves more reliably, passengers travel more safely, ports perform more consistently, and the country regains the logistics confidence it has lost.
