Latest news with #Johannesburg-based
IOL News
20 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Glimmers of hope for increased use of rail for citrus
The 2025 citrus export season has now reached its peak, says the author. Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers The 2025 citrus export season has now reached its peak. The estimates suggest that, should all go well, a record amount of 171.1 million 15kg cartons of citrus will be exported by the end of the season. As South Africa's largest agricultural export industry, the value of smooth and improved logistics is widely recognised by the sector. Port logistics have been receiving more attention in general, but the role improved rail usage can play in bolstering the sector should be more widely acknowledged. Just over a week ago, the first train carrying dozens of refrigerated containers of citrus departed from City Deep in Johannesburg to the port of Durban. 2025 is expected to be a bumper year for this route and its success is largely made possible by the organisational efforts of CTI Logistics, a Johannesburg-based logistics company. 40% of South Africa's export citrus is grown in Limpopo. Once harvested, the produce must be kept refrigerated under strict cold protocol temperature as it travels about 850 km to Durban before it is shipped. Currently, about 90% of the citrus is shipped to the Port of Durban via trucks, which makes rail projects like the CTI-organised train exceptional. The Limpopo-grown citrus shipped from the City Deep terminal is trucked to CTI's cold storage facilities close to the terminal, from where it is loaded. Every week during the high season a train with a minimum of 48 "reefers" (refrigerated containers holding 20 pallets of citrus) departs from Johannesburg in this way. "Currently the terminal has 48 plug-points, but it has the capacity to expand in the future," explained Claudia Cuturi, the managing director of CTI Logistics, about the Transnet facilities. A plug-point supplies a reefer with electricity for temperature management. "Transnet sometimes gets bad press, but really, these containers in Johannesburg are treated like their own children. Temperatures are checked through the night and day. Along the route, where necessary, a safety car follows the train to provide additional security," continued Cuturi. The need for increased shipments of citrus in this way - and on other routes - is pressing for a number of reasons. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Firstly, the economics of rail transport is clear: rail shipping averages significantly lower costs per ton compared to trucking. Secondly, rail is a much greener option. Trains are much more fuel-efficient, lowering the carbon footprint of produce shipped in this way. Recent studies found that rail is four times more fuel efficient than trucks, and results in 75% fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Thirdly, road conditions and disruptions on the trucking route to Durban are unfortunately often factors that need to be taken into account - accidents, closures, congestion, damaged road surfaces. Finally, the remarkable growth projected for the South African citrus industry should be noted. Much more fruit will be coming off the trees. The Citrus Growers' Association (CGA) estimates that peak season weekly truck trips will increase from the current 2 200 to well over 3 800 truck trips over the next three seasons. Our roads simply cannot handle this type of increase. Sensible rail options must be available. Cuturi says there is considerable scope for upscaling. "The more containers we move, the cheaper the rates can be. And the structure is there to grow the project. Currently, the citrus on the trains are all destined for Europe. Great care is taken to ensure the specific protocols necessary. Other destinations can be added. The Perishable Products Export Control Board do checks at the terminal," Cuturi explained. Other similar ventures also have the potential to be upscaled. Kholwa Logistics has been running reefers on trains from Bela-Bela with considerable success. Kholwa works closely with Transnet, and a group of citrus producers in the Groblersdal-Marble Hall area makes use of this freight option for their export citrus. Although saddled with serious infrastructure, safety and maintenance challenges, points of light do exist, such as the limited use of rail during citrus season. It is essential that these efforts are nurtured and built upon. While the CTI and Kholwa citrus trains make use of traditional forms of Transnet service, the future for rail in South Africa offers exciting new prospects that can also increase rail efficiency. In March, Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy launched a Request for Information to develop private sector participation and enhanced investment in rail and port infrastructure and operations. The submission officially closed on 30 May, and earlier this month the Department of Transport announced that a total of 162 formal responses were received. The CGA has also identified the greater Loskop Valley region in Limpopo as one area that has immense potential for upscaled rail transport due to its geographical location and large-scale agricultural production. Facilitated rail access to the North-South corridor to Durban port could truly become a game changer for citrus exports. Facilitating the use of rail through a variety of projects and partnerships is essential to achieving the citrus industry's goal of creating 100 000 new jobs by 2032. With a boost in production due to new trees coming into fruit, one half of the goal is on track to be achieved. But the other half - actually getting our world-class and much-loved fruit to foreign markets in a timely and efficient way - requires serious attention over the next few years. And without the increased use of rail, the industry will not be able to achieve its goal. Projects like CTI's City Deep rail and Kholwa's link prove that with the right partners, rail can move faster, greener, and smarter. Growers, exporters, government, and logistics providers should commit to rail as a strategic priority. It's not just about citrus volumes - it is about securing South Africa's place in global markets and delivering on the industry's bold vision of job creation.
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Will they get bail? 12 SANDF members in court over murder of Hawks investigator Frans Mathipa
When Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa was shot dead in 2023, he was probing allegations that members of the SANDF Special Forces had abducted an Ethiopian businessman and suspected ISIS leader from the Mall of Africa. Image: SAPS The Randburg Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg is set to hear the bail application of 12 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) implicated in the brutal murder of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa - a specialist investigator at the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks. The 12 SANDF members are facing serious charges of murder and kidnapping after Mathipa was shot dead while travelling on the N1 near Hammanskraal in August 2023. The accused SANDF members were arrested in June. IOL previously reported that some of the soldiers were arrested at different places, including the OR Tambo International Airport and Centurion in Tshwane. Following the arrests, spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Singo, stated that the arrests were carried out by members of the Johannesburg-based Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, the headquarters' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, and the Tactical Operations Management Section (Toms). 'The arrests are linked to the murder of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, who was fatally shot while driving on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal on August 6, 2023. Following the shooting, his vehicle lost control and veered into a ditch,' Singo said. Mathipa, who was attached to the Hawks' Crimes Against the State Unit within the Serious Organised Crime Investigation in Gauteng, was on duty conducting an investigation at the time of his death. Singo said a vehicle seized has also been linked to a separate crime. 'During the operation, police also seized a vehicle belonging to the 36-year-old suspect. The vehicle is alleged to have been used in the kidnapping of two male foreign nationals at a mall in Midrand on December 29, 2022. It has since been impounded for further forensic investigation,' Singo said. According to reports, at the time of his death, Mathipa was probing allegations that members of the SANDF Special Forces unit abducted an Ethiopian businessman and suspected ISIS leader from the Mall of Africa in Midrand in 2022. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. [email protected] IOL News
TimesLIVE
23-06-2025
- TimesLIVE
Soldiers arrested for murder of Hawks officer Frans Mathipa facing three counts of murder
The 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members accused of killing Hawks officer Lt-Col Frans Mathipa are facing three counts of murder. They are also facing several other charges, including two counts of kidnapping, making false statements under oath, obstructing the administration of justice, theft and fraud. The 12 soldiers appeared in the Randburg magistrate's court on Monday. The court ordered the media not to publish their names or pictures as an identity parade must still be conducted. The case was postponed to July 1 for a bail application and the soldiers remanded. The court heard that the matter will be transferred to the high court within the Gauteng jurisdiction. On Sunday, the Johannesburg-based Hawks' serious organised crime investigation team arrested two soldiers, aged 36 and 51, linked to the murder of Mathipa. During the operation, police also seized a vehicle belonging to the 36-year-old suspect. The vehicle is alleged to have been used in the kidnapping of two male foreign nationals at a mall in Midrand on December 29 2022. On Monday, 10 more soldiers were arrested after they handed themselves over to the Hawks investigating officers in Johannesburg. Mathipa was fatally shot while driving on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal on August 6 2023. After being shot his vehicle veered out of control and landed in a ditch. Mathipa, who was attached to the Hawks' crimes against the state section within the serious organised crime investigation unit in Gauteng, was on duty conducting an investigation at the time of his death. The Sunday Times reported he had been investigating the abduction of alleged Isis leader Abdella Abadiga from the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg and was looking into suspicions that South African military special forces were involved. Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Christopher Singo said the accused are also linked to a case involving the kidnapping of two foreign nationals in December 2022. 'At this moment, we cannot reveal their identity as per the court instructions. An identity parade has to be conducted. Their names and identities will only be revealed after we are done with the identity parade,' he said. He added that Mathipa was responsible for investigating high-profile cases. 'Some of those cases involved the accused who are appearing in court, but I cannot get into the details of those cases.'
IOL News
23-06-2025
- IOL News
SANDF members accused of killing Hawks investigator and kidnapping foreign nationals
The suspects are two soldiers from the SANDF. Two soldiers from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) are expected to appear in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Monday in Gauteng on charges of murder and kidnapping. The soldiers, aged 36 and 51, were arrested on Sunday, June 22, at the OR Tambo International Airport and in Centurion, Pretoria, respectively. The spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as Hawks), Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Singo, stated that the arrests were carried out by members of the Johannesburg-based Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, the Headquarters' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, and the Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS). 'The arrests are linked to the murder of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, who was fatally shot while driving on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal on August 6, 2023. Following the shooting, his vehicle lost control and veered into a ditch,' Singo said.
IOL News
23-06-2025
- IOL News
SANDF members accused of killing Hawks investigator and kidnapping foreign nationals
The suspects are two soldiers from the SANDF. Two soldiers from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) are expected to appear in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Monday in Gauteng on charges of murder and kidnapping. The soldiers, aged 36 and 51, were arrested on Sunday, June 22, at the OR Tambo International Airport and in Centurion, Pretoria, respectively. The spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as Hawks), Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Singo, stated that the arrests were carried out by members of the Johannesburg-based Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, the Headquarters' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, and the Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS). 'The arrests are linked to the murder of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, who was fatally shot while driving on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal on August 6, 2023. Following the shooting, his vehicle lost control and veered into a ditch,' Singo said.
