Big local interest in building Trans-Kalahari railway

Half of the companies and groups expressing interest in developing the Trans-Kalahari Railway between Botswana and Namibia as a public-private partnership are Namibian, according to the Trans-Kalahari Railway Project Management Office (TKR-PMO).

They are: Helo Group, West Coast Energy, Mega North Holdings, Fullbright Investment, Grindrod and the Trans-Kalahari Railway Initiative Consortium (a collaboration between Namibia and South Africa).

The railway will run for about 1 500km from the coalfields at Mmamabula in Botswana to the port of Walvis Bay in Namibia.

One Chinese company has expressed interest, namely China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.

The other companies on the list of 12 are: NGE Contracting (France), Orascom Construction (Egypt), Lesedi Nehawu Investment JV (South Africa), Rail Vikas Nigam (India), as well as Nations Capital Projects / SevenFive Investments CC (South Africa).

According to the timeline published by TKR-PMO, the prequalification stage will now run from December to February. The request for proposals will be issued in March. The development phase is expected to begin in January 2025.