Andre Klynsmith

Mining and Commodities

Coal by Private Train: Grindrod's Open-Access Service to Maputo Opens a New Route to Market for SADC Bulk

Grindrod plans to move about 280,000 tonnes of coal a year from Mpumalanga to its terminal in Maputo under South Africa's emerging open-access rail framework, positioning itself among the first private operators to run freight trains on Transnet's network. A test train is scheduled before the end of 2026, with commercial operations targeted for the first half of 2027.

MINING AND COMMODITIES

6 July 2026 • 4 min read

For decades, coal moving from Mpumalanga to a SADC port meant one operator: Transnet. Grindrod's planned open-access service to Maputo is the first concrete sign that private trains hauling private cargo on the national network are moving from policy paper to timetable.

Two Slots, Three Locomotives, 50 Wagons

Grindrod CEO Kwazi Mabaso, speaking during an operational performance webinar, said the group's operational readiness for open access is "progressing very well". The company has secured two weekly train slots on the Mpumalanga-Maputo corridor and is deliberately taking a cautious approach to launch. The initial operation will run with three locomotives plus one spare, and 50 wagons.

The growth path is already mapped. Expanding the wagon fleet to 100 -- while keeping the same locomotive configuration -- would support a third weekly slot and lift annual volumes beyond 400,000 tonnes. Mabaso does not expect securing that additional slot to be a lengthy process once conditions are met.

Why the Maputo Corridor, and Why Now

The move is a further step in South Africa's open-access rail reforms. The Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager has confirmed access agreements with several private operators as the phased introduction of third-party train operations gathers pace. Grindrod holds a natural advantage on this lane: it owns terminal capacity in Maputo, so the same group controls the train, the port handling and the export gate -- a vertically integrated route to market for Mpumalanga coal that bypasses congested alternatives.

Regional rail conditions are also improving. Mabaso noted that the reopening of the Chikwalakwala line in May should lift corridor performance in the second half of the year, after its closure -- together with disruptions in Eswatini and adverse weather -- had constrained locomotive deployment.

A Template Other Commodities Will Copy

If Grindrod's test train runs on schedule and commercial service follows in early 2027, it becomes the working template for private bulk rail across the region: secure slots, start small with a conservative locomotive-and-wagon configuration, prove reliability, then scale. Chrome, magnetite, manganese and ferroalloy shippers -- many currently paying a heavy premium to move tonnage by road -- will be watching closely.

The caveats are familiar. Open access is new territory for everyone involved, network condition varies by section, and a two-train-a-week service moves a fraction of what the corridor's mines produce. But direction matters more than scale at this stage: cargo owners are gaining a second option for getting bulk minerals to a port.

About the Author
	Andre Klynsmith Entrepreneur & Technology Enthusiast Andre's expertise spans technology, blockchain, transport, and logistics -- with a passion for innovation and driving positive change across industries. info@laaimylorrie.com | laaimylorrie.com