20 Mar 2025

 The Trans-Kalahari Railway Project is at the procurement stage of a consultant to undertake a feasibility study, says the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Noah Salakae.

Responding to a Parliamentary question on Wednesday, Mr Salakae said if required, the consultant would provide advisory services for the procurement of a developer for the Trans-Kalahari Railway Project in accordance with the approved roadmap for the project.

He said the tender for consultancy services was advertised in May 2024 and closed on July 26, 2024, adding that the evaluation of the tender and contract negotiations were completed in February 2025.

Minister Salakae said a letter of award was issued on March 15, 2025 to the preferred bidder, CPCS Transcom UK Ltd, after observing a cooling-off period in line with the conditions of tender, which elapsed on March 14, 2025. Mr Salakae said the feasibility study was scheduled to be undertaken for a period of one year from April 2025 to March 2026.

He said the amount expended by the Trans-Kalahari Railway Project Management Office (TKR-PMO) since the inception of the TKR-PMO in 2014 to March 16, 2025 was about P12.4 million.

Selebi-Phikwe MP Mr Kgoberego Nkawana had asked the minister to apprise parliament on progress made in the construction of the Trans-Kalahari rail line and to state the cost expended to date if any. ENDS