By AGISANANG SCUFF
2 September 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) said the oversight it conducted in the Northern Cape to the De Aar railway station, confirmed how South Africa’s rail network has all but collapsed, taking with it the hope of growth and development needed to drive job creation. The DA said the most recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey confirmed that nearly one in two people in the Northern Cape cannot find a job.
DA Northern Cape Provincial spokesperson on Finance and Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL), Fawzia Rhoda said regional economies are hamstrung by the lack of affordable and reliable railways, as rail freight volumes plummeted from 226 million tonnes in 2017 to only 152 million tonnes in 2024. Rhoda said reduced capacity harms business confidence, makes everything more expensive for consumers, and causes job losses.
“De Aar has not been spared from this economic onslaught and the town that used to be synonymous with the hustle of trains connecting the local economy to Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Upington, Kimberley, Namibia, and beyond has fallen victim to sluggish growth.
“In the absence of reliable railways, trucks transporting goods have taken over the town and the abnormal loads crush the roads designed for lighter vehicles,” she said.
Rhoda further said they called for a multi-pronged approach for better maintenance in the short term. She added that in the long run, they need affordable rail freight to ease congestion and reduce the need for maintenance.
“We must speed up the concession of freight rail lines to capable private operators through transparent and competitive tendering processes that identify the best partners for growth.
“We also need to modernise, upgrade and maintain rail infrastructure, with strict law enforcement to protect our essential infrastructure,” said Rhoda.
She said this must go hand-in-glove with a comprehensive review of South Africa’s tariff regime to lower input costs for manufacturers and exporters. Rhoda said the time for endless talk is over.
“South Africa’s economy is in crisis, and it is time for urgent action to fix our economy and create jobs,” she said.
The Guardian 