spoornet

Spoornet was the freight division of Transnet, the South African state-owned transport and logistics company. It operated the majority of South Africa’s rail freight services on the national network.

Established in the 1990s as part of the restructuring of the country’s railways, Spoornet handled bulk commodities such as coal and minerals, as well as containerized intermodal freight and general goods. It served mining regions, coastal ports and inland distribution hubs, and linked producers with export terminals and import flows.

Spoornet maintained a fleet of freight locomotives and wagons and operated freight yards, marshalling yards and related support infrastructure in collaboration with Transnet. It also ran cross-border services to neighbouring countries, contributing to regional trade links.

In the late 2000s, Transnet consolidated its rail brands, and Spoornet was rebranded as Transnet Freight Rail (TFR). The change reflected a broader branding strategy while continuing to operate the same freight network and services under the Transnet umbrella.

The legacy of Spoornet persists in historical references to South Africa’s rail freight and transport policy, with Transnet Freight Rail carrying forward the freight operations once associated with the Spoornet name.