First tranche for Transnet

African Development Bank loan to support Transnet recovery

SOUTH AFRICA: Transnet has received the first tranche of its its $1 billion loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) which aims to stabilise the State Owned Entitity and support its investment plan to upgrade existing infrastructure while enhancing key logistic chain segments.

Transnet’s five year investment plan has been projected to cost $8.1 billion and this first disbursement of funds from AfDB represents the first of four structured tranches.

Approved by the Bank’s Board of Directors five months ago, this funding underpins a recovery plan to address pressing operational challenges of the company, while bolstering South Africa’s critical infrastructure.

Following the September 2023 signing of the loan agreement between Transnet and the African Development Bank in Johannesburg, the Bank committed to supporting Transnet’s recovery plan with targeted financing.

“This swift disbursement shows the Bank’s commitment to the private sector in Africa, which is essential for supporting sustainable economic growth,” said Solomon Quaynor, Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization at the African Development Bank Group, speaking on the sidelines of the Africa Investment Forum 2024 Market Days in Rabat, Morocco.

Calls to address Transnet’s under-investment across the logistics chain have been ongoing and the SOE is now seeking to address this as well as other operational challenges while embarking on internal reforms to improve efficiency and management while committing to decarbonization and carbon footprint reduction initiatives.

Transnet plays a vital role in regional. Its railway network links South Africa’s ports with key regional partners, including Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and supports operations at Durban, the fourth-largest container terminal in the southern hemisphere.

This financial support for Transnet is therefore crucial for improving South Africa’s competitiveness and strengthening the continent’s economic integration, while responding to the challenges of the logistics sector, which is vital for Africa’s development.