Railways Africa Magazine

In this episode of Coffee with the Editor, filmed at Africa Rail 2025, Railways Africa Magazine editor Phillippa Dean speaks with the Chief Business Development Officer at Transnet about the strategic vision and current status of the Transnet LeaseCo initiative, which is currently in bid phase.

The conversation explores the origins of LeaseCo, its link to local rail reform, regional leasing opportunities and infrastructure studies, ...

In this Coffee with the Editor, filmed during Transnet Engineering’s Industry Day — held the day before Africa Rail 2025 — Railways Africa Magazine editor Phillippa Dean spoke to Bessie Mabunda, Chief Executive of Transnet Engineering. The conversation explores the company’s evolving strategy, notable achievements, and future ambitions as Transnet Engineering strengthens its role within South Africa’s logistics network and the wide...

In this Coffee with the Editor, filmed during Africa Rail 2025, Vuyiswa Tlomatsane, Services Executive at Gibela Rail Transport Consortium, unpacks the full scope of Gibela’s Maintenance, Technical Support, and Spare Supply Agreement with PRASA.

Under this long-term contract, Gibela not only provides technical support but also develops PRASA’s maintenance regime and supplies all required spare parts. The agreement began in 2016 with...

In this episode of Coffee with the Editor, filmed at Africa Rail 2025, Railways Africa Magazine speaks with Reggie Boqo, Acting CEO of Gibela Rail Transport Consortium, about how Gibela is positioning itself to meet the future needs of passenger rail on the African continent.

Gibela has just delivered its 280th trainset for South Africa’s passenger agency, PRASA and is on track to reach the 300 mark by the end of the year — a signif...

Join us for this Coffee with the Editor as Traxtion CEO James Holley shares key updates on the company’s fleet expansion, workforce growth, and African market expansion.

Our conversation covers;

• Fleet Expansion – 50 out of 60 locomotives now in operation, with workshop capacity fully booked until August 2024. Slots for third-party rebuilds available in the second half of 2025.
• Workforce Development – 10 apprentices enrolled, 4 gra...

On the sidelines of the Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town, Anura Partners launched their latest report, Tracks to Prosperity: Realising the Vision for the South Africa-Botswana Rail Corridor, at their annual Mining X Logistics event, attended by 250 senior executives.In this episode of Coffee with the Editor, Dr Maximilian Matschke, Managing Partner at Anura Partners, discusses the significance of this corridor with o...

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 rail transport and decarbonising heav...

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 key rail initiatives, including the Uvinza-Muson...

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 challenges and passenger service.
• T...

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 partnerships shaping ZRL’s future. ...

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, the US, and China have navigated rai...

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, including advancements in train con...

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. This expansion will link key areas ...

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 other townships, as well as the pr...

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 the importance of modernising the rail...

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 shares updates on the ongoing rehab...

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 highlights the expansion efforts, particula...

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 loading. Kenneth shares insights on th...

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 into effect on 8th March 2024, is...