Disruptive weather conditions in Mpumalanga and Limpopo have adversely affected Transnet Freight Rail operations in the North-East Corridor. Heavy, abnormal rains damaged the rail infrastructure across the Corridor’s major commodity pathways resulting in severe disruption to the train service. 

As a precautionary measure and for safety reasons, operations across the North-East Corridor had to be wholly suspended on Friday, 10 February 2023. 

The infrastructure impact of the floods has unfortunately caused washaways - an occurrence where flood water overwhelms the drainage systems and wash away the ballast that supports the railway sleepers causing an unsafe conditions for the safe running of trains. Railway sections that are heavily impacted by the adverse weather conditions are the lines between Nelspruit -Kaapmuiden and Komatipoort as well as the Mhlume line to eSwatini, adversely hindering major commodity flows such as magnetite, chrome, ferrochrome and rock phosphate. 

Branch line operations at Lydenburg (Mashishing) and Belfast are also severely impacted, affecting the movement of magnetite, chrome, ferrochrome, rock phosphate and coal. 

Overborder operations to the Maputo port and TCM Matola terminal are also adversely impacted and at a standstill due to flooding of various parts of the network, affecting the movement of export magnetite, rock phosphate, chrome and ferrochrome. 

With continuous rains, there has been more reports of wash-ways on the Hoedspruit – Groenbult- Messina and Pienaarsriver lines. This effectively means that over 90% of the North East corridor network is completely shut. 21 Wellington Road Parktown Johannesburg 1293 Private Bag X47 Johannesburg South Africa, 2000 T +27 11 584 0504 F +27 11 544 9599 

Due to the severity of the floods and for safety reasons, TFR has resolved to suspend its services on the corridor until a full safety assessment is undertaken – and the line is certified as safe for normal running of train traffic. 

Employee safety is a primary concern. Full resumption of services will only occur once the lines are declared safe. TFR continues to maintain regular contact to udate its customers and stakeholders on the status of the train service and on-going recovery recovery efforts.