Half of SA Transport Firms Find National Rail Infrastructure Lacking

Almost 48% of South African transport companies find the country's rail infrastructure lacking sufficient capacity and service levels, according to a report released by Barloworld Logistics.

Only 47% felt confident about the rail system coping with the upcoming World Cup.

The 2010 supplychainforesight survey, which saw almost 400 respondents interviewed, 47% of whom were CEOs and senior executives in their organisations, found that almost 80% of the participant companies moved less than 10% of their goods by rail.

If adequate rail capacity were available, 46% of companies said they would use rail to move over 20% of their goods.

Almost 21% of the respondents indicated they now spend over 10% of the cost of their goods on transport.

The survey indicates that a public-private sector collaboration is absolutely vital if the national infrastructure is to be rescued.