South Africa’s Transnet gets $1bn AfDB loan to fund recovery plans

BREAKING NEWSJuly 18, 2024 at 4:58 PM UTC

TLDR

African Development Bank (AfDB) approves $1 billion loan for Transnet's recovery plan, addressing logistics firm's struggles in freight rail and port services in South Africa.
Transnet faced challenges due to equipment shortages and maintenance backlogs, impacting commodity exports, manufacturing, and retail sectors in South Africa.
The 25-year loan, fully guaranteed by the South African government, aims to strengthen Transnet's operations and support the country's economy.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $1 billion loan for South Africa’s Transnet to aid the troubled logistics firm’s recovery plan, the bank and the company said on Thursday.

State-owned Transnet has struggled to provide adequate freight rail and port services in South Africa due to equipment shortages and maintenance backlogs after years of under-investment.

This has impacted commodity exports and other sectors such as manufacturing and retail, weakening Africa’s most advanced economy. Transnet and the AfDB said in a joint statement that the 25-year loan was fully guaranteed by the government of South Africa.

Key Takeaways

Transnet, which has debts of 130 billion rand, recorded a loss of 1.6 billion rand in the six months to Sept. 30 on the back of declining rail, port and pipeline volumes as well as higher costs. It has seen freight volumes decline to 150 million metric tons in financial year 2022/23 from 226 million tons in 2017/18. Transnet’s recovery plan, announced in October 2023, seeks to restore freight volumes and return the company to profitability over 18 months.

AfDB

Transnet

South Africa

Economy

Logistics

Finance

Loan