The Development Bank of Southern Africa is working with Transnet to help the embattled South African state ports and freight-rail operator prepare projects for private participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Transnet has come under severe criticism from miners and other industries dependent on its services after the amount of freight, including key export commodities such as iron ore and coal, railed to and from ports plunged by a third over the past five years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Its container terminals are also among the world\u2019s least efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This prompted South Africa\u2019s presidency to propose a plan that would see many of the ports and key rail lines concessioned to private operators that would also be responsible for modernising the dilapidated infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s quite a number of private-sector participation projects that they\u2019re working on that DBSA has positioned itself to work with them,\u201d Zodwa Mbele, the state-owned development bank\u2019s chief financial officer, said at a conference north of Johannesburg on Wednesday. \u201cThose are massive projects that we would like to partner with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Transnet can\u2019t take on more debt to finance the projects itself, she said. Amid criticism over its performance, Portia Derby announced last month she would quit as chief executive officer, and the head of the company\u2019s freight rail unit resigned a few days later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The state company has gone some way toward including private participation on its networks. It\u2019s finalizing an agreement with the Philippines\u2019s International Container Terminal Services Inc. to help run and expand Africa\u2019s biggest container port in Durban. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also seeking private operators for a citrus terminal and the key rail-freight line between Durban and South Africa\u2019s industrial heartland of Gauteng, the province where Johannesburg and Pretoria are located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DBSA is also in the process of setting up funds with partners to invest in water and green hydrogen projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lender is in talks to invest in electrical mini-grids to supply power to rural communities in South Africa and neighbouring states, Lebogang Seperepere, the head of programmed development execution, said at the event. It plans to sign a pact with power utility Eskom to roll them out, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DBSA aims to help set up an electric vehicle charging network in South Africa, Seperepere said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n