A stratified systems framework for the North-South Rail Corridor in Southern Africa
Date
2019
Authors
Bester, Paul Michael
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Abstract
The North South Corridor (NSC) runs from the southern Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC) to the ports of Southern Africa, connecting the DRC, Tanzania, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa (RSA). The notoriously
high transport costs on the NSC, compared to other major regions of the world, is a serious
limitation on the economic development of the SADC region.
While total NSC (road and rail) freight traffic volumes have increased, the rail portion
has declined. Rail volumes on the NSC have dropped by 80%, while rail market share has
dropped by more than 67% between 1990 and 2016. The purpose of this study is to
determine what has caused this dramatic decline and what can be done to reverse the
trend.
By applying a systems approach, the NSC-Rail System was analysed from a business
model and a concept of operations (CONOPS) point of view. A mixed-method research
design which included both a qualitative and a quantitative element was used. The study
provided an understanding of the NSC-Rail System with its multiple interacting subsystems
and context elements. It also provided a means of conceptualising the factors
impacting its business model.
In the Stratified Systems Review process, Node Flow Mapping highlighted the numerous
discontinuities in the NSC rail corridor and the sharp contrast in traffic density north of
the RSA rail network. The Viable Systems Model analysis showed that the system fails
at the Coordination (level 2) and Optimisation (level 3) levels of a viable system. Value
Stream Mapping (VSMp) identified the non-value adding delays caused by customs
clearances at the multiple border crossings and identified locomotive and crew changeover
points as major causes of transit delays. The VSMp indicated that the rail transit time
between Durban and the DRC should be circa 8 days as opposed to the reported the 30
days rail transit time.
The research concluded that the operations of the sovereign rail operators must be aligned
and optimised at system level. Lack of information sharing and communication problems
are blamed on the language barriers between the operators along the corridor. The
business model must address all the elements required of an end-to-end transport system.
Key elements to improving the NSC-Rail System are inland dry-terminals, security of
freight, system effectiveness and operational efficiency, competitive pricing and
dependable, short delivery times.
Description
A research project report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built
Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for
the degree of Masters in Engineering.
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Citation
Bester, Paul Michael, (2019) A stratified systems framework for North-South rail corridor in Southern Africa (Business Model and Concept of Operations), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, https://hdl.handle.net/10539/30621