On March 10, 2026, South African President Ramaphosa officially announced in his State of the Union address the plan to restart the high-speed railway corridor connecting KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, and Limpopo provinces. This high-speed railway line, with a total length of about 500 kilometers and a total investment of about 34 billion US dollars, will become the first high-speed railway system in sub Saharan Africa after completion.

The President announces the plan to restart high-speed rail

Ramaphosa announced in his State of the Union address that the high-speed railway construction plan, which had been put on hold for many years, has officially resumed. The South African Department of Transport is continuing to advance preparations for the high-speed rail project. The first phase will construct a strategic corridor connecting KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, and Limpopo provinces, linking Johannesburg and Musena, as well as Etekwini and Johannesburg.

This project is a core component of the Limpopo Gauteng high-speed railway plan, which plans to construct approximately 500 kilometers of high-speed railway lines connecting Pretoria, Polokwani, and Musina near the Zimbabwean border. The total investment is about 34 billion US dollars, which will become one of the largest transportation infrastructure investments in African history. Gauteng Province also plans to invest approximately 6.3 billion US dollars in railway system upgrades and high-speed rail infrastructure construction over the next five years.

Market hype and challenges coexist

According to the South African Department of Transport, nearly 30 companies have expressed their intention to participate in project construction and investment since the information solicitation was released last year. The government's next step is to release a project request for proposal to push the project into the implementation phase. We are currently conducting feasibility studies and environmental impact assessments to ensure compliance with safety, economic, and environmental standards.

However, the investment scale of 34 billion US dollars poses a significant challenge to South Africa's finances. The project also faces challenges such as land acquisition, requiring complex negotiations with communities and landowners along the route. According to the plan, the project is expected to start construction by the end of 2026 and is scheduled to be put into operation before 2030.

African high-speed rail race for new track

At present, the development of high-speed railways in Africa is still relatively limited. The Tangier Casablanca high-speed railway in Morocco is the only operational high-speed railway in Africa, with a maximum speed of 320 kilometers per hour. Egypt is building a high-speed railway network with a total length of about 2000 kilometers, connecting the Mediterranean coast, Cairo, and Red Sea ports. Keywords: news and information on infrastructure projects, high-speed railway infrastructure

If the South African high-speed rail project is successfully implemented and adopts dedicated line standards with a speed of over 250 kilometers per hour, it will become the first truly high-speed rail system in sub Saharan Africa, filling the gap in this region. This high-speed railway will connect Pretoria, Johannesburg, Etekvini, and Musena, forming a north-south economic artery and promoting regional economic integration.Editor/Gao Xue