Cape Town – A project first proposed 15 years ago may finally come to fruition, after eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba, during the launch of the city’s new Public Transport Information Centre this week, called for plans to establish a high-speed rail link between Johannesburg and Durban to be implemented.
In a bold move to transform the commuter experience, eThekwini Municipality officially launched the Public Transport Information Centre, which is housed within the City’s Traffic Management Centre in Durban’s Central Business District.
In a bold move towards transforming the commuter experience, eThekwini Municipality officially launched its Public Transport Information Centre. The centre is housed within the City’s Traffic Management Centre in the Durban Central Business District
The centre is designed to… pic.twitter.com/2AVZkMXa83— eThekwini Municipality (@eThekwiniM) October 7, 2025
According to The South African, Xaba urged government departments and financial institutions to act on the long-overdue project.
“We have been talking about the high-speed rail between Joburg and Durban for the longest time now,” Xaba said. “It is not getting off the ground. We started discussing this issue in 2010.”
The project, first introduced in 2010 to connect two of South Africa’s major economic hubs, Durban and Johannesburg, saw little progress over the years. It was revived after Cabinet approved a framework for high-speed rail in November 2023.
Discussions have also explored the possibility of another high-speed train connecting Pretoria and Polokwane, with trains expected to reach speeds of around 177 km/h, and exceeding 200 km/h on certain stretches.
During his 2024 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated the importance of high-speed rail, noting that the Johannesburg–Durban route would be the initial focus.
Xaba added that the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) had expressed interest in helping to finance the project through blended finance.
“If we succeed, it means that the city of Durban succeeds as well,” he said, noting that the high-speed train would also boost tourism, trade, and local economies.
Port of Gauteng’s R50 Billion White Paper Released
At the start of #TransportMonth, Port of Gauteng has released its White Paper outlining a R50 billion inland logistics development.
The project aims to:
• Create 50,000 permanent jobs
• Shift freight from road to rail along… pic.twitter.com/iHdmA4fyGF— Railways Africa Magazine (@RailwaysAfrica) October 7, 2025
Xaba emphasised the urgency of this matter, stating that it needs to be carried out and implemented swiftly, adding that the project is one of the issues that should looked at this Transport Month.
“I know that national government was meant to release the National Rail Policy document this month and this item was going to feature strongly on it.
“Unless my colleague, Dada Morero (Johannesburg Mayor) and I drive it, I don’t think it will receive the speed with which the two cities think it’s warranted,” IOL quoted Xaba as saying.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, X and Instagram
Picture: X/@eThekwiniM
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Anda Tolibadi
