30 Aug 2024

Timelines for the resumption of the Botswana Railways (BR) passenger train services will be determined through the established partnership agreement, Minister of Transport and Public Works, Honourable Eric Molale has said.


Honourable Molale said this when responding to a parliamentary question on Wednesday.
 He said the ministry, through BR, issued a request for Expression of Interest (EOI), in an endeavour to explore potential partnerships or collaborations for the sustainable operation, maintenance and improvement of the passenger train services.


“The request EOI to test the local market was issued March 21 closing April 26 and it was unresponsive. This resulted in opening this to the international market and it was re-issued on June 28 and closed on August 8,” he said.


As recently stated, he said BR was instructed to work on resuming the service, adding “it is even more urgent as we are at an advanced stage of reconstructing A1 Highway to dual carriage way standards. ”


He told Parliament that BR stopped operating the passenger service in March 2020, when the country went into lock down due to the adverse impact of the COVID-19 related restrictions on travel and mobility. 


He explained that at the time of halting the service, the passenger train was experiencing low patronage, deeming the service unprofitable.
“Botswana Railways was operating the passenger train at a loss when it was halted.

It will not be prudent to revive the passenger train service without addressing its sustainability,” he said.


On one hand, he said BR bought new coaches at the cost of P228 million and were not refurbished. 


He said the passenger train was designed and manufactured by Transnet Engineering in South Africa at a contract sum of P228 million comprising 37 coaches (wagons) including five first class (sleeper coaches), five business class coaches, 18 economy class coaches, three luggage vans, three buffet coaches and three generator vans.

He indicated that there were no locomotives (train heads) bought specifically for the routine operations of the passenger train, adding rather, BR used mainline locomotives from the freight operations.


Member of Parliament of Gaborone Bonnington South, Mr Christiaan Greeff had asked the minister to brief Parliament on the operations of the passenger train and further explain why it abruptly stopped normal operations as well as the cost of government to refurbish the wagons.


Mr Greeff also wanted to establish when the train was likely to resume its operations, the number of wagons bought from South Africa and their cost and future plans by the ministry to curb possible reoccurrence of challenges and working towards profitability.