An African integrated high speed rail network plan – why SA must take notice

AMID the decline of Transnet’s infrastructure, the South African public should not lose sight of the ongoing developments across the continent, especially in the realm of railway infrastructure. The vision of a railway stretching from Cape Town to Cairo originated as an ambitious idea proposed by Cecil John Rhodes and other colonialists in the preceding century. Nevertheless, in the post-colonial era, there was a notable shift towards automobile transportation for personal travel. Despite this, the realisation of the grand concept of a railway stretching from Cape Town to Cairo is now poised for a potential resurgence with the introduction of Africa’s Integrated High-Speed Railway Network (AIHSRN). Railway continues to be the optimal means for transporting freight, acting as the primary logistics backbone in numerous countries, particularly those lacking navigable rivers…