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The Emergence of Railway Diplomacy in Africa: The Cases of South Africa and China

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Perspectives on Africa-China Infrastructural and Industrial Cooperation

Part of the book series: Africa-East Asia International Relations ((AEAIR))

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Abstract

This chapter reviews South Africa’s participation in the continent’s railway transport and presents the argument that this country has in fact played an important role in the development of this transport sector in Africa. This chapter, therefore, seeks to unlock a novel research avenue for competition between China and an African country (i.e. South Africa) for the provision of infrastructure to African countries. It demonstrates the decline of the latter as the former rises.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Janse van Rensburg R.A (1996), ‘The History of the Rail Transport Regulatory Environment in South Africa’, available at https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/85556; Transnet Freight Rail (2019), ‘History Overview’, available at http://www.transnetfreightrail-tfr.net/Heritage/Pages/Overview.aspx.

  2. 2.

    Transnet Freight Rail (2019), ‘Railway Country: 150 Years of Rail in South Africa’, available at http://www.transnetfreightrail-tfr.net/Heritage/150years/150YearsRail.pdf.

  3. 3.

    Nock O.S. (1971), ‘Railways of the World: Railways of Southern Africa’, London, Adam and Charles Black; Transnet Freight Rail (2019), ibid., p. 5.

  4. 4.

    Also referred to as the Victoria Falls National Park.

  5. 5.

    Raphael L (1936), ‘The Cape-To-Cairo Dream’: A Study in British Imperialism, New York, Columbia University Press; Heritage Portal (2019), ‘The Cape to Cairo Railway Dream’, available at http://www.theheritageportal.co.za/article/cape-cairo-railway-dream; Mocheregwa B (2016), ‘Underdevelopment in Eastern Bechuanaland: The Dynamic Role of the Mafikeng-Bulawayo Railway, From The Late 1800s to 1960’, Master’s Thesis, Ontario, Trent University.

  6. 6.

    Janse van Rensburg R.A, op. cit., p. 18; Transnet Freight Rail (2019), op. cit.

  7. 7.

    Transnet Annual Report (1992).

  8. 8.

    African Development Bank (2015), ‘Rail Infrastructure in Africa: Financing Policy Options’, p. 50, available at https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Events/ATFforum/Rail_Infrastructure_in_Africa_-_Financing_Policy_Options_-_AfDB.pdf; Railway tracks in Africa are generally classed into three categories: the narrow gauge, the standard gauge and the Cape gauge. South Africa uses a Cape gauge railway system which is 1067 mm in length.

  9. 9.

    Transnet (2020) Integrated Report, available at https://www.transnet.net/InvestorRelations/AR2020/Transnet%20IR%202020.pdf.

  10. 10.

    Transnet (2016), ‘Africa Transport Infrastructure Planning’, p. 435, available at https://www.transnet.net/BusinessWithUs/LTPF%202017/LTPF%20Chapter%207%20Africa%20Transport%20Infrastructure%20Planning.pdf.

  11. 11.

    Haas P (1992), ‘Introduction: Epistemic Communities and International Policy Coordination’, International Organisation, Vol. 46, No. 1.

  12. 12.

    Jayasuriya K (2004), ‘Breaking the “Westphalian” Frame: Regulatory State, Fragmentation and Diplomacy’, No. 90, Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’, The Hague, p. 6.

  13. 13.

    Loubser J.G.H (1980), ‘Transport Diplomacy: with Special Reference to Southern Africa’, Sandton, Southern African Editorial Services (Pty) Ltd., p. 5.

  14. 14.

    Ibid., p. 3.

  15. 15.

    Ibid., pp. 3–4.

  16. 16.

    Prime Minister Pieter Willem Botha was nicknamed Die Groot Krokodil, English for ‘The Big Crocodile’.

  17. 17.

    Geldenhuys D (1981), ‘The Constellation of Southern African States and the Southern African Development Coordination Council: Towards a New Regional Stalemate’, Johannesburg, South African Institute of International Affairs.

  18. 18.

    Address by PW Botha at a Summit Meeting in Pretoria, May 1980.

  19. 19.

    Evans M (1984), ‘The Front-line States, South Africa and Southern African Security: Military Prospects and Perspectives’, available at http://pdfproc.lib.msu.edu/?file=/DMC/African%20Journals/pdfs/Journal%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Zimbabwe/vol12n1/juz012001002.pdf.

  20. 20.

    Loubser J.G.H (1980), op. cit., p. 27.

  21. 21.

    Jumbo grain wagons are used to transport commodities such wheat, maize or rice. Bulk gondola wagons are used to ferry bulk cargo such as copper ore or coal, while XPLJs or fuel tankers are utilised to convey flammable fuels such as petrol, diesel or kerosene.

  22. 22.

    Jayasuriya K (2004), op. cit., p. 6.

  23. 23.

    Hocking B (2006), ‘Multistakeholder Diplomacy: Forms, Functions and Frustrations’ in Multistakeholder Diplomacy: Challenges and Opportunities, Malta and Genva, Diplofoundation.

  24. 24.

    Ibid., p. 19.

  25. 25.

    Also referred to as railway infrastructure.

  26. 26.

    Moolman A (1989), ‘Railways and Harbours in Southern Africa’, Interview with Kotie van Heerden of Global News; Loubser J (1977), ‘South Africa: A Leader in the Field of Infrastructure’, paper presented at the International Conference on The Marketing of the International Image of South Africa.

  27. 27.

    Allen G (1989–1990), Jane’s World Railways, Jane’s Information Group.

  28. 28.

    The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) today.

  29. 29.

    Loubser J, op. cit., pp. 13–17.

  30. 30.

    Loubser J, op. cit., pp. 13–17.

  31. 31.

    Loubser J, op. cit., p. 15.

  32. 32.

    Central Intelligence Agency (1975), ‘The Tan-Zam Railroad –Approaching Full Operational Status’, available at https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP79T01098A000600060001-4.pdf.

  33. 33.

    Loubser J (1979), ‘Speech by Dr. Loubser at South African-German Chamber of Trade and Industry’.

  34. 34.

    Loubser (1979).

  35. 35.

    Dongai Y, ‘Why the Chinese Sponsored the TAZARA: An Investigation about the People’s Republic of China’s African Policy in the Regional Context, 1955–1970’, State University of New York; Monson J (2009), ‘Africa’s Freedom Railway: How a Chinese Development Project Changed Lives and Livelihoods in Tanzania’, Indiana University Press, Indiana; Central Intelligence Agency (1975), op. cit.; Loubser J (1980), op. cit.

  36. 36.

    Loubser (1979).

  37. 37.

    Daily Mail in Loubser J (1980), op. cit., p. 17.

  38. 38.

    Loubser J (1979), op. cit., p. 17.

  39. 39.

    Transnet Annual Report (1992).

  40. 40.

    Dakora E, Bytheway A, Slabbert A (2010), ‘The Africanisation of South African Retailing: A review’, African Journal of Business Management, Vol. 4 (4).

  41. 41.

    African National Congress, ‘Economic Diplomacy’, 53rd National Conference Resolutions, p. 46, available at https://www.sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/resolutions53r.pdf. This economic diplomacy policy resolution is reflected in both the 2012 and 2017 ANC Policy Conferences held in Mangaung in the Free State and in Nasrec, Johannesburg.

  42. 42.

    African Development Bank (2015), op. cit., pp. 50–53.

  43. 43.

    Mbeki T (2002), ‘Address, Thabo Mbeki, At the Opening for the World Summit for Sustainable Development’, available at https://www.sahistory.org.za/archive/address-thabo-mbeki-opening-world-summit-sustainable-development-johannesburg-26-august.

  44. 44.

    Transnet Market Demand Strategy (2012), available at http://www.transnet.net/InvestorRelations/Documents/20120409%20MDS%20launch%20presentation.pdf.

  45. 45.

    Transnet, ‘Strategy and resource allocation: From MDS to Transnet 4.0’ (2018), available at https://www.transnet-ir-2018.co.za/from-mds-to-transnet-4-0.php.

  46. 46.

    Transnet Africa Strategy (2014), p. 23.

  47. 47.

    Transnet Integrated Report (2018), p. 15, available at https://www.transnet.net/InvestorRelations/AR2018/Integrated%20Report.pdf.

  48. 48.

    Ibid.

  49. 49.

    Monson J (2009), op. cit., p. 2.

  50. 50.

    Donghai Y, op. cit., p. 4.

  51. 51.

    Chinese Posters (2019), ‘The TAZARA Railway’, available at https://chineseposters.net/themes/tazara-railway.php.

  52. 52.

    Monson J (2009), op. cit., p. 2.

  53. 53.

    Monson J (2009), op. cit., p. 2.

  54. 54.

    Von Baldegg K (2012), ‘A Classic 1950s Propaganda Film Makes the Case for Super Highways’, available at https://www.theatlantic.com/video/archive/2012/03/a-classic-1950s-propaganda-film-makes-the-case-for-superhighways/468177/.

  55. 55.

    Kynge J, Peel M, Bland B (2017), ‘China’s railway diplomacy hits the buffers’, available at https://www.ft.com/content/9a4aab54-624d-11e7-8814-0ac7eb84e5f1.

  56. 56.

    Loubser J (1979), ‘Speech by Dr. Loubser at South African-German Chamber of Trade and Industry’.

  57. 57.

    Monson J (2009), op. cit., p. 2.

  58. 58.

    Uhuru is a Kiswahili word for freedom.

  59. 59.

    Ibid., p. 3.

  60. 60.

    ‘United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758’, available at https://china.usc.edu/sites/default/files/legacy/AppImages/1971-UN-China-seating.pdf; Donghai Y, op. cit., p. 7.

  61. 61.

    Donghai Y, op. cit., pp. 16–17.

  62. 62.

    Loubser J (1980), op. cit., p. 17.

  63. 63.

    State-owned multinational corporations are defined as ‘legally independent firms with direct ownership by the state that has value-adding activities outside of their home countries’. Transnet meets the requirements of an SOMNC because it operates across Africa. It is an independent company that is entirely owned by the government.

    Cuervo-Cazurra A, Inkpen A, Musacchio A, Ramaswamy K (2014), ‘Governments as Owners: State-Owned Multinational Companies, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 45, Issue 8.

  64. 64.

    Pavlicevic D, Kratz A (2016), ‘China’s High-Speed Rail Diplomacy: Riding a Gravy Train?’, available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318224439_China’s_High-Speed_Rail_Diplomacy_Riding_a_Gravy_Train; Centre for Chinese Studies (2006), p. 11.

  65. 65.

    Alon I, Wang H, Shen J, Zhang W (2014), ‘Chinese State-Owned Enterprises Go Global’, Journal of Business Strategy 35(6).

  66. 66.

    Pavlicevic D, Kratz A (2016), ‘China’s High-Speed Rail Diplomacy: Riding a Gravy Train?’, available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318224439_China’s_High-Speed_Rail_Diplomacy_Riding_a_Gravy_Train.

  67. 67.

    Kose O (2014), ‘China exports high-speed rail technology to Turkey’, available at https://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/28/china-exports-high-speed-rail-technology-to-turkey/.

  68. 68.

    Pavlicevic D, Kratz A (2016), op. cit., p. 2.

  69. 69.

    Ibid., p. 6.

  70. 70.

    Railway Technology (2012), ‘Transnet: laying tracks for South Africa’s rail future’, available at https://www.railway-technology.com/features/featuretransnet-south-africa-rail-network/.

  71. 71.

    African Development Bank (2015), ‘Rail Infrastructure in Africa: Financing Policy Options’, op. cit., pp. 50–53.

  72. 72.

    Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (2019), ‘Update on Africa’s Integrated High Speed Railway Network Project’, available at https://www.au-pida.org/news/update-on-africas-integrated-high-speed-railway-network-project/.

  73. 73.

    Njobeni S (2018), ‘Transnet launches new company to facilitate projects in Africa’, available at https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/companies/transnet-launches-new-company-to-facilitate-projects-in-africa-13564189.

  74. 74.

    Pavlicevic D, Kratz A (2016), op. cit., pp. 6–7.

  75. 75.

    ‘SDD20 Diesel Locomotives’ specifications, available at https://www.crrcgc.cc/g3794/s7393/t224103.aspx.

  76. 76.

    Pavlicevic D, Kratz A (2016), op. cit., p. 6.

  77. 77.

    Headquarters of the Communist Party of China.

  78. 78.

    Loubser J (1980), op. cit.

  79. 79.

    Pavlicevic D, Kratz A (2016), op. cit., p. 7.

  80. 80.

    African Union (2016), ‘African Union signs Agreement on Africa’s High Speed Rail Network’, available at https://au.int/pt/node/31462.

  81. 81.

    Centre for Chinese Studies (2006), op. cit.

  82. 82.

    Pavlicevic D, Kratz A (2016), op. cit., p. 2.

  83. 83.

    Institute of Developing Economies: Japan External Trade Organisation, ‘China in Africa’, available at https://www.ide.go.jp/English/Data/Africa_file/Manualreport/cia_11.html.

  84. 84.

    Ker M (2017), ‘China’s High-Speed Rail Diplomacy’, US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, Staff Research Report.

  85. 85.

    Lin Y, Qin Y and Xie Z (2017), ‘Technology Transfer and Domestic Innovation: Evidence from the High Speed Rail Sector in China’, available at https://qinyurain.weebly.com/uploads/4/7/2/8/47280099/hsrtt_april17.pdf.

  86. 86.

    Pavlicevic D, Kratz A (2016), op. cit., p. 5; Centre for Chinese Studies (2006), p. 7.

  87. 87.

    Railways Africa (2017) ‘Rolls-Royce and China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation Strategic Partnership’, Issue 6.

  88. 88.

    Pavlicevic D, Kratz A (2016), op. cit., p. 5.

  89. 89.

    Xinhua (2017), ‘Chinese-built railways improve transport in Africa’, available at http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-12/28/c_136857657.htm.

  90. 90.

    Kynge J, Peel M, Bland B (2017), op. cit., p. 3.

  91. 91.

    These two companies merged in 2015 to form CRRC.

  92. 92.

    Talane V (2019), ‘A year of damning revelations at Zondo Commission into state capture’, available at https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/a-year-of-damning-revelations-at-zondo-commission-into-state-capture-39780230.

  93. 93.

    Grant-Makokera G (2015), ‘South African Economic Diplomacy: Engaging the Private Sector and Parastatals’, ISS Paper 280, p. 9; Vickers B and Cawood R in Adebajo A and Virk K (2018), ‘South Africa’s Corporate Expansion: Towards an “SA Inc.” Approach in Africa’, Foreign Policy in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Security, Diplomacy and Trade, London and New York.

  94. 94.

    Hameiri S and Jones L (2016), ‘Rising Powers and State Transformation: the Case of China’, European Journal of International Relations, 22(1), p. 72.

  95. 95.

    Ibid., p. 80.

  96. 96.

    Hocking B (2006), op. cit.

  97. 97.

    An attempt was made to engage the Department of International Relations and Cooperation within the DPE, on the intricacies of the strategy; albeit with little success.

  98. 98.

    National Development Plan 2030, ‘Chapter Seven: Positioning South Africa in the World’, available at https://www.poa.gov.za/news/Documents/NPC%20National%20Development%20Plan%20Vision%202030%20-lo-res.pdf.

  99. 99.

    Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa cluster.

  100. 100.

    Rodrigues I, Vascondellos E, Sbragia R (2008), ‘The Internationalisation of R&D at Petrobras’, available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/300437753_The_Internationalization_of_RD_at_Petrobras.

  101. 101.

    Gazprom (2018), ‘Fields’, available at https://www.gazprom.com/projects/#field.

  102. 102.

    Public Enterprises Parliamentary Monitoring Group (2015), ‘Transnet on Africa Strategy’, available at https://pmg.org.za/committee-meeting/21299/.

  103. 103.

    Transnet Freight Rail (2020), ‘International Business’, available at http://www.transnetfreightrail-tfr.net/BU/IB/Pages/Overview.aspx

  104. 104.

    Ker M (2017), op. cit., p. 7.

  105. 105.

    Smith K (2017), ‘Will Alstom-Siemens merger check CRRC’s international expansion?’, available at https://www.railjournal.com/opinion/will-alstom-siemens-merger-check-crrcs-international-expansion.

  106. 106.

    Gama S (2017), ‘Loco designed, engineered, and manufactured in Africa, unveiled’, available at https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/loco-designed-engineered-and-manufactured-in-africa-unveiled/44287.article.

  107. 107.

    Ibid.

  108. 108.

    Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative (2016), op. cit. p. 17.

  109. 109.

    Vickers B and Cawood R in Adebajo A and Virk K (2018), op. cit. p. 131.

  110. 110.

    Grant-Makorera C (2015), op. cit., p. 7.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Africa-China Studies, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Lebohang Makekeng

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  1. Department of Politics andInternational Relations, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Bhaso Ndzendze

  2. Department of Politics andInternational Relations, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    David Monyae

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Makekeng, L. (2023). The Emergence of Railway Diplomacy in Africa: The Cases of South Africa and China. In: Ndzendze, B., Monyae, D. (eds) Perspectives on Africa-China Infrastructural and Industrial Cooperation. Africa-East Asia International Relations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38395-3_2

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