Today’s edition of the Free State Business Bulletin tells readers that South Africa has built and delivered specialised railway wagons to Botswana. Not only that, but there are plants in South Africa with capacity for building locomotives, coaches and other components of a rail system.

Just wondering why we needed to outsource supply of coaches to multinationals, as announced this week – in the form of a R51-billion contract. Am I missing something?

Here’s the Bulletin’s news story:

Transnet exports specialist wagons to Botswana

It is reported that Transnet has delivered the 100th salt wagon manufactured at its Uitenhage plant for Botswana Rail. The delivery is part of an initial 260-wagon order for specialised wagons to convey bulk chemical-grade salt from Sua Pan in Botswana to Sasol factories in South Africa. In total, Botswana Rail ordered 562 wagons, which are being produced at Transnet Rail Engineering’s (TRE’s) Uitenhage plant. The Botswana Rail agreement follows the successful execution of an order for 200 wagons for mining giant Rio Tinto’s operations in Mozambique, at the same plant. In addition to Uitenhage, Transnet has manufacturing plants in Koedoespoort, Pretoria, for locomotives; in Salt River in the Western Cape for coaches, wheels and other rolling stock components; and in Bloemfontein for various rolling stock products, among others.