President Ramaphosa confirms nearly 30 companies have signalled interest in building South Africa’s first high-speed rail network — with Johannesburg to Durban and Johannesburg to Musina corridors in the crosshairs.
South Africa’s long-awaited bullet train dream just shifted into a higher gear.
Delivering the 2026 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed that nearly 30 companies have formally expressed interest in participating in the country’s proposed high-speed rail corridors.
“We continue preparations for the introduction of high-speed rail in South Africa, covering routes such as Johannesburg to Musina, and eThekwini to Johannesburg,” Ramaphosa said.
“Nearly 30 companies indicated their willingness to participate in high-speed rail corridors when we put out a request for information last year. We are preparing to send out a request for proposals, which will introduce a new era of long-distance rail travel in South Africa.”
From Promise to Proposals
Ramaphosa first flagged the ambitious rail plan in the 2025 SONA. A subsequent pledge by former transport director-general Alec Moemi for a 2025 launch was missed — but the President insists momentum has not stalled.
In July 2025, the Department of Transport, alongside Gauteng and Limpopo provincial governments, confirmed a revised target: 2030 for the first operational high-speed networks.
The Gauteng–Limpopo Speed Train project is currently undergoing feasibility and environmental impact studies.
Why It Matters
The high-speed rail programme is not merely about transport, it is industrial policy in motion.
“We are determined to compete in a rapidly changing global economy,” Ramaphosa said. “Our industrial policy focuses on areas where we have competitive advantage, where we can create jobs and where we can drive up exports.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa. Image by GCIS
With global supply chains diversifying, Ramaphosa framed the rail project as a signal to international investors that South Africa is open for serious infrastructure partnerships.
“We have a diverse economy, high-quality manufacturing facilities and strong regulatory frameworks,” he said.
Trade, Jobs and Economic Diplomacy
The rail roll-out forms part of a broader push to ramp up exports and strengthen trade relations.
“We are strengthening our capacity for trade negotiations and expanding our missions abroad to drive economic diplomacy,” Ramaphosa added.
The inclusion of nearly 30 interested firms — spanning engineering, rolling stock, construction and finance — suggests significant private sector appetite. A formal Request for Proposals (RFP) is expected to be published in the coming months.
The Road to 2030
The scale of the ambition is immense. The Johannesburg–Durban corridor is one of the busiest transport routes in sub-Saharan Africa, while the Johannesburg–Musina line opens a strategic freight and passenger link to the Beitbridge border post and onward into the continent.
If realised, the network would be the first of its kind on the African continent outside Morocco’s Al Boraq service.
