Transnet Freight Rail
North-East Corridor (NorthEastCor)
North-East Corridor (NorthEastCor)
The NorthEastCor stretches from the Limpopo River at Beitbridge in Limpopo Province to Richards Bay on the east coast via Komatipoort and from Pyramid/Rayton/Emalahleni to Komatipoort. The corridor carries 14% of Freight Rail’s volumes.
The NorthEastCor strategically links the South African rail freight system with that of other SADC countries, mainly via Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Commodities are transported via various border posts or entry gates such as Komatipoort, Golela, Beitbridge, Livingstone and Sakania.
The corridor has three prominent linear flows, namely, (1) Phalaborwa to Maputo and Richards Bay, mostly transporting magnetite and rock phosphate; (2) Emalahleni to Maputo, mainly transporting chrome and coal; and (3) Intermodal (reefers) originating from Tzaneen, Musina and Bela-Bela that are destined for Durban.
Overview
The North-East Corridor is a strategic link between South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Strengths within the corridor are good rail connectivity with sub-Saharan Africa and rail links to Richards Bay and Maputo Ports that enable operational integration and flexibility.
The North-East Corridor has several prominent rail channels. These are:
Phalaborwa to Maputo and Richards Bay
- transporting mainly magnetite and rock phosphate.
Steelpoort to Maputo and Richards Bay
- transporting mainly chrome and ferrochrome.
Emalahleni to Maputo and Richards Bay
- transporting mainly coal and ferrochrome.
Polokwane through Pyramid South to Durban
Polokwane/Tzaneen –Musina to Zimbabwe/Zambia/DRC
SADC Member Countries
4. Democratic Republic of Congo
Map of the North-East Corridor (NorthEastCor)