South African state-owned rail freight transport operator Transnet is planning to reduce the size of its 20,000 km network by at least 35%. The goal in this scheme is to focus on more profitable transport services. According to its own account, Transnet cannot justify operating portions of its business that cause the company to generate losses. Furthermore, Transnet will be able to operate more effectively with a smaller network. The final decision for closing lines or selling them to another operator will rest with the South African government.
