SAFLOG’s Vision for a Seamless Rail Future: An Exclusive with CEO Thami Gwala

In this October 2023 interview with Railways Africa, CEO Thami Gwala outlined SAFLog’s ambition to connect rail services with wider freight networks.

This archive summary revisits the interview published by Railways Africa on 15 October 2023. It reflects the plans discussed then.

Connecting the freight journey

Gwala described a business seeking to coordinate more of the journey from mine to export gateway. Its pit-to-port approach would bring freight movements and transfers together around customer requirements.

Capabilities behind the vision

The interview covered shunting, locomotive leasing and the addition of mainline locomotives, alongside track construction and maintenance. Terminal services and cargo handling complemented those railway activities, linking transport modes.

Open access and regional opportunities

Gwala saw proposed open access as a route to serving selected corridors. Customer demand and the investment needed would guide those choices. He also discussed port-adjacent warehousing around Durban as part of a wider African strategy, supporting cargo flows towards Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This is an original editorial summary. Read the full interview at Railways Africa using the source link below.