29 Nov 2021

The discovery of minerals late in the 19^th century in South Africa dramatically changed the economic and political landscape of Southern Africa.

The discovery ushered in new tools, fertilizers and harvesting techniques, resulting in increased production and agricultural prosperity.

To sustain a growing population, mass production was achieved by replacing draught animal power with steam powered machinery and technology, hence the introduction of steam engine locomotives as a catalyst for the industrial revolution.

These giant mechanical ‘dinosaurs’ and rotating engines played a major role in the development of Southern Africa.

They were used to carry all sorts of goods, especially heavy machinery used in the industrial revolution within and between  countries.

Prior to that, a railway line running from Cape Town in South Africa to Cairo, Egypt, commonly referred to as Cape to Cairo was constructed for the transportation of goods and passengers. 

Retired Tonota traditional leader, Kgosi Ramosidi Radipitse vividly remembers that the first time he heard the sound of a steam engine locomotive, he ran for his dear life and hid behind a thick bush. 

The argonising noise, he said, remained stuck in his mind for a long time.

Narrating his story, the 91-year-old said like any other herdboy of the time, he had been sent by his father to look for family cattle that had apparently strayed to the other side of the rail line. 

As he was about to cross the rail line, he heard a thundering noise.

“The noise was similar to that of a big aeroplane. 

It scared me so much that I immediately returned home before I could find the cattle,” said Kgosi Radipitse, who later in his 20s became a locomotive driver in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The old man said he was forced to put a brave heart just to go see the ‘monster’ for the first time in his life.

“It was a huge machine with a boiler whose spout looked like a tea pot. 

It had a chimney and its wheels would make a chuku-chuku sound, which later on earned it the  nickname Chuchumagala.”

He explained that steam engines used coal to boil water to produce energy and a steam engine locomotive was normally controlled from the boiler’s backhead. 

A crew of at least two people is normally required to operate it, one at the locomotive and the other at the back.

History has it that railway development in Botswana was initiated and driven by Cecil John Rhodes, a British mining magnate whose original intention was for a railway linking all the British colonies of Africa.

Kgosi Radipitse explained that the railway line was called Cape to Cairo because it was a link between the south and north of Africa, passing through Botswana to the then Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).

He said the steam trains were used to transport goods such as metal, timber, corrugated iron, wire, cement bags from South Africa to the north through the northern corridor.

“Other functions of the steam engine include being used in factories, mines, and steam boats,” he added.

Kgosi Radipitse explained that without a rail system, it would have been difficult to transport the heavy goods.

“It was a huge innovation by the person who invented it, that is why trains still play a critical role in the transportation of goods and people to date.”

He said although these giant ‘dinosaurs’ no longer existed in most of world’s rail roads, steam engines played an important role in building economies. 

He opined that the steam-powered engine could be revived today and operate potential alongside diesel-powered ones.

The former locomotive driver explained that although the newer generation preferred automobiles and, to a certain extent, air travel, the role the train played could not be ignored.

“The fact that one of the famous components of the Kazungula Bridge is a single line railway track between two traffic lanes is an indication that railway lines play a significant role in the economic development of any country.”

The sentiments were shared by Kgosi Simon Nkgageng of Tati Siding in the North East District, who said steam engines were also used to transport livestock, especially cattle from the north to the south.

“There is a cattle loading bay by the railway line near Semotswane village near Tonota. 

Most of the residents of Tonota and nearby villages used that bay to load their cattle and other heavy materials for transportation.”

He said steam engines were used mainly to ferry coal and some other minerals from the source to canals, where they could then be transported across the SADC region.

Kgosi Nkgageng explained that indeed steam engines played a major role in the transformation of what is now Botswana Railways (BR) and were a major contributor to the economic development of the  region.

“There is no doubt that we should celebrate steam locomotives because of the legacy they left for the next generation to appreciate where we come from and where we are heading as a nation,” said Kgosi Nkgageng.

For his part, the chairperson of Botswana Railways board, Mr Adolf Hirschfield explained that steam engine locomotives changed transportation landscape by allowing the region to transport goods to the offshore market and that they gave every country the ability to create new industries and mold transport into what it has become today.

“The steam engine locomotive was an icon of the industrial revolution in many countries throughout the world, SADC inclusive,” he added.

Mr Hirschfield said steam engines kick started a new era in the transportation industry of the SADC region because freight was easily transported across countries.

He explained that the establishment of the railway played a major role in the development of Botswana, both pre and post-independence when it was arguably the only reliable mode of transport.

“That is why we have steam engine locomotive monuments in two of our major train stations in Francistown and Mahalapye as a remembrance of yester years.”

He said these monuments also played a role in the promotion of tourism.

Steam engine locomotives laid a foundation for modern railways to open more avenues for increased trade across the southern African region and beyond, Mr Hirschfield noted.

“The rail offers a very safe, efficient and environmentally friendly transport across the SADC region. 

It connects populations and boosts economic activities as it is the predominant means of transport for goods and people,” he added.

He said by then, cars were few and could not carry heavy machinery.

These mechanical creations, he further added, were used to transport coal, salt, grain, livestock and beef from Lobatse to Cape Town and copper from Zambia.

“That is why Botswana decided to open a cold storage in Cape Town, South Africa to facilitate the transportation of its beef to the lucrative European markets,” he said.

Mr Hirschfield explained that the Ministry of Transport and Communications continued to look for ways to revitalise the railway industry as an economic enabler, both locally and in the SADC region.

“By nature, this business is capital intensive, hence the expected returns will not necessarily be realised in the short to medium term,” said Mr Hirschfield.

Botswana, he noted, acknowledged that as a landlocked country, it would always have challenges in accessing sea ports.

He added that it, however, intended to exploit its geographical position in the region to transform into a regional transport hub.

Mr Hirschfield explained that the railway network was strategically laid to link the country to the north through Zimbabwe, Zambia and beyond, hence the joint construction of the Kazungula Bridge.

He further indicated that government was planning to construct the railway line connecting Mosetse to Kazungula as well as Mmamabula to Lephalale to further expand Botswana Railways network.

The idea, he said, was to open other business avenues and contribute to the socio-economic development of the region.

Another planned rail link, he said, was the Trans-Kgalagadi railway line connecting to Botswana’s Dry Port in Namibia, saying an office had already been opened in Windhoek to facilitate the envisaged project.

He said of late, Botswana continued to witness imports and exports through the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia, hence the need to ‘seriously consider this port as an alternative trade route for large consignments such as vehicles through the Pacific Ocean.

Mr Hirschfield said the expansion of the railway network would require reliable and efficient rolling stock to deliver quality service and enhance regional trade as per the SADC protocol on Transport, Communications and Methodology, which states that ‘member states are required to facilitate an efficient and reliable railway service that helps to integrate the region.

“In doing so, member states are required to collaborate and harmonise policies for railway use and implementation, the intention being to obtain common standards and procedures,” he added.

It is also worth noting that many Batswana used to travel by rail within and beyond borders, hence most of the people who used trains had fascinating memories and stories to tell about their experience with regards to travelling by rail.

“Comfort is one of the biggest advantages of a train journey. 

Most noteworthy, one can move freely in a train cabin,” said Godfrey Nchena of Moroka in the North East District, who also used the steam engine passenger train in the olden days.

Moreover, Mr Nchena said trains offered comfortable sleeping berths, which made the train journey a relaxing experience. 

He said his and other train journey stories needed to be preserved as they formed part of the Botswana heritage.

Francistown-based train master, Mr Freedom Mokgethi said the displayed steam engine locomotives, which were acquired from the National Railway of Zimbabwe, may be relocated to the envisaged Botswana Railways Properties Mall by the station.

The sentiment that steam engine locomotives were a treasure for the region is also echoed by an economist, Mr Shoeshine Baitshepi, who said they left a lasting legacy in the hearts of many a SADC citizens. BOPA