Railways Africa Magazine

This Coffee with the Editor is a follow-up discussion to the article titled "Decarbonisation 2050: What Tractive Effort Could Look Like." Our Editor Phillippa Dean sits down with Dr. Wiehan Le Roux (Technical Director), Dr. Rick Vandoorne (Railway Engineering Computational Designer), and Dr. André Broekman (Civil Engineering Computational Designer) from ZUTARI to discuss the future of ra...

In this  Coffee with the Editor  by  Railways Africa , filmed during the  8th Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (#PIDAWeek2024) ,  Ibrah Wahabou , Head of Infrastructure and Transport Unit at  AUDA-NEPAD , shares critical insights into Africa's transformative railway projects and their role in driving sustainable development under  Agenda 2063 . Our conversation covers progress on k...

Join Railways Africa Magazine Editor, Phillippa Dean, in this Coffe with the Editor, as she sits down with Dr. Birhan Abebaw, CEO of the Addis Ababa Light Rail Transport Service Enterprise, for an in-depth discussion about the challenges and future prospects of Ethiopia’s pioneering light rail system. Key Topics Covered: The operational status of the Addis Ababa Light Rail, including fleet challen...

In this episode of Coffee with the Editor, Phillippa Dean of Railways Africa Magazine speaks with Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) Board Chairperson, Mr. Emmanuel Hachipuka, covering Zambia’s pivotal role as a rail hub in Southern Africa. The discussion covers Zambia’s ambitious plans for regional rail connectivity, including the strategic role of TAZARA, recent progress on the Lobito Corridor, and p...

In this  Coffee with the Editor , Railways Africa Magazine interviews Adj. Prof. Dr. Andrea Giuricin, CEO of TRA Consulting, at the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) Conference in Cape Town. Dr. Giuricin shares his expertise on global rail reform, the complexities of open access, and the importance of adapting reforms to each country’s unique context. Dr. Giuricin highlights how countries like Italy,...

In this  Coffee with the Editor  episode, filmed during the Railway Safety Conference hosted by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) in Cape Town, PRASA Group CEO, Hishaam Emeran, delves into PRASA’s recovery strategy, future plans, and its role within South Africa's broader rail industry. Hishaam shares insights from his recent trip to China, where he explored digital trends and innovations in rail...

In this Coffee with the Editor episode, filmed at the Railway Safety Conference hosted by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) in Cape Town, Railways Africa Magazine speaks with Gautrain Management Agency CEO, Tshepo Kgobe. Tshepo provides insights into the exciting developments for the Gautrain, including plans for network expansion, which will extend the Gautrain network to nearly 360 kilometres....

Join us for an insightful "Coffee with the Editor" conversation with MEC Kedibone Diale Tlabela, Gauteng’s MEC for Roads and Transport, recorded at the 2024 Railway Safety Regulator Conference in Cape Town, hosted by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR). In this interview, the MEC discusses exciting developments in Gauteng's rail sector, including the expansion of Gautrain into Soweto, Mamelodi, and...

In this edition of  Coffee with the Editor , filmed during the Railway Safety Conference hosted by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) under the theme "Rail Renaissance", we sit down with Ms Nompumelelo Sibongile Ekeke, the Chairperson of the RSR. Ms Ekeke shares key insights into the state of South Africa's rail industry, the critical need to move freight off ageing roads and back onto rail, and t...

In this special episode of Coffee with the Editor, filmed at the Southern African Railways Association Conference and Exhibition, we sit down with Tresor Kapuku Ngoy, Deputy Director General of Société Nationale des Chemins de fer du Congo (SNCC SA). In this insightful discussion, we explore the current state and future of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) railways. Tresor Kapuku Ngoy s...

In this episode of Coffee with the Editor, filmed during the Southern African Railways Association (SARA) Conference and Exhibition, we speak with Tunde Ayorinde from the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s property side. Tunde provides insights into the rapid growth of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, which now spans over 3,000 kilometres and operates both narrow and standard gauge lines. He highligh...

In this episode of “Coffee with the Editor,” filmed during the Critical Materials Conference: FerroAlloys 2024 held in Johannesburg from 9th to 11th September, Railways Africa Magazine talks to, Kenneth Williams from the Makoya Group. The Makoya Group is a niche bulk-handling commodity advisory service for the mining industry, specialising in rail operations, private sidings, and bulk material loa...

In this edition of Coffee with the Editor, our editor Phillippa Dean sits down with Howard Rosen, Chairman of the Rail Working Group, at the Southern African Railways Association’s (SARA) annual conference and exhibition. The discussion covers the latest developments around the Luxembourg Rail Protocol and its growing influence on rail asset management globally. The protocol, which officially came...

In this episode of Railways Africa Magazine’s “Coffee with the Editor,” our editor, Phillippa Dean, speaks with Anneri Robinson from Hatch at the South African Heavy Haul Association (SAHHA) conference about her paper, “Approach to Assessing the Condition of a Railway System,” co-authored with Nathan Wilson. Robinson talks about the challenges faced by railway operators, including asset decay and...

In this episode of Coffee with the Editor, filmed at the Southern African Railways Association (SARA) annual conference and exhibition, Phillippa Dean engages with Kannan Ponnusamy, Head of Business Development at SMH Rail. They explore SMH Rail’s impactful projects across Africa, focusing on locomotive remanufacturing in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and new ventures in South Africa. Kannan provides ke...

Join Railways Africa’s Editor, Phillippa Dean, in this Coffee with the Editor as she sits down with the Acting CEO of the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), Mmuso Selaledi, to discuss the upcoming changes in South Africa’s rail safety landscape. In this in-depth interview, Selaledi provides insights into the new Railways Safety Act awaiting presidential approval, the implications of open access on th...

In this Coffee with the Editor, Johny Smith, CEO of Grindrod Rail, shares insights into the company's strategy and plans in light of their recent interim results. Despite a challenging period, Grindrod Rail's performance has been commendable, showcasing the company's resilience and strategic focus. Smith highlights the critical role of rail in Grindrod’s broader logistics strategy and...

In this Coffee with the Editor, we catch up with Bernard Peille just before his transition from Managing Director of Alstom Southern Africa to Alstom Brazil. Bernard discusses Alstom's involvement in the MetroKin project in Kinshasa, a key mass transit initiative aimed at addressing the city's severe congestion. Alstom is set to be part of the first phase of the project—connecting the cent...

In this special edition of Coffee with the Editor, we catch up with Ms Nompumelelo Sibongile Ekeke, the Chairperson of the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), at the SARA Conference and Exhibition held at the Sandton Convention Centre. Ms Ekeke discusses the exciting developments in rail safety, including the inaugural Rail Safety Awards celebrating 21 years of the RSR, the importance of harmonising s...

Welcome to another episode of Coffee with the Editor! In this insightful discussion, Phillippa Dean, Editor of Railways Africa, sits down with Mike Salawou, from the African Development Bank (AfDB), during the Southern African Railways Association’s (SARA) Conference and Exhibition at the Sandton Convention Centre. In this episode, we explore the African Development Bank’s pivotal role in transfor...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Nthabiseng Kubheka, the Chief Executive Officer of Bombela Operating Company (PTY) Ltd, (BOC), as she shares her journey and achievements in the rail industry. Recognised as one of the top 15 women globally in rail by the International Railway Journal (IRJ), Nthabiseng discusses her passion for inclusion and diversity, the strategic initiatives at BOC, a...

In this edition of Coffee with the Editor, Zaituni Nakonde, Director of Infrastructure Development at CCTTFA, discusses the agency's role and mandate in enhancing rail connectivity across East Africa. Learn how the Central Corridor is tackling funding challenges and promoting the new Standard Gauge Railway to boost regional trade and logistics.

In this edition of Coffee with the Editor, Eng. Achieng’ Akun Beatrice discusses the role of the East African Community (EAC) and its mission to integrate the region through various policies and infrastructure development programmes. We touch on topics from project preparation, to standards, and harmonisation for seamless operability and connectivity. The East African Community is a regional inter...

In this insightful Coffee with the Editor, Mutahi (Alex) Wariithi, Senior Valuer at LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority, shares an in-depth look at the LAPSSET project and its current status, particularly focusing on the railway network. LAPSSET, which stands for Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport, is a transformative transport and economic corridor aimed at developing underutilised regio...

In this edition of Coffee with the Editor, we are joined by Russell Baatjies, CEO of Transnet Freight Rail (TFR). Russell provides invaluable insights into TFR's strategic direction, ongoing collaborations and formidable challenges. Our dialogue navigates through TFR's overarching vision and proactive approach in aligning with industry imperatives while anticipating future demands.