The Department of Transport (DoT) has extended, to May 30, a deadline for responses to a request for information (RFI) on potential private sector participation (PSP) projects in the rail and port sectors.

The initial submission deadline announced by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy was May 9.

In a statement, the DoT said the extension was granted following requests by stakeholders, which had shown an “overwhelming interest” in possible opportunities on the following corridors:

• The Northern Cape-to-Saldanha Bulk Minerals Corridor and the Northern Cape-to-Nelson Mandela Bay Corridor, which primarily transport iron-ore and manganese exports respectively;
• The Richards Bay Bulk Minerals Corridor, which is a key export channel for coal and chrome exports from Limpopo and Mpumalanga, and through which magnetite is also exported; and
• Intermodal supply-chain opportunities relating to the container and automotive sectors, including the potential designation of the South African container port system as a regional transhipment hub for major shipping lines.

When she released the pre-procurement RFI in March, Creecy said the information provided would help guide the drafting of requests for proposal, which could be released in August.

“The RFI will enable us to articulate the challenges in a structured and coherent way, clearly defining their scope, context, and impact to inform the development of focused, strategic, and sustainable solutions,” she said, adding that responses would be treated confidentially.

The DoT is also moving, together with the National Treasury and the Development Bank of Southern Africa, to establish a PSP Unit to oversee the private sector’s involvement in areas previously monopolised by Transnet and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.

“This initiative provides the rail and freight logistics industry with a valuable opportunity to contribute to the PSP Unit’s efforts in shaping the potential PSP Programme of Projects and in designing future bid packages for procurement,” the DoT said.