Heritage Cases

Transnet is South Africa’s sole provider of rail transport infrastructure for coal transportation. One of South Africa’s largest foreign exchange earners is the export of high-quality coal products to China. The Transnet rail link between the coal fields in Mpumalanga Province and the export node, the Richards’ Bay Coal Terminal, is one of the busiest railway links in South Africa. The increase in demand for South Africa’s high-quality coal necessitates the increase in production, which in turn has demands on the railway network infrastructure. In response to the increased demand for South Africa’s coal in the global market place, Transnet needs to increase the volume of coal that is being transported between the Mpumalanga coal fields and the Richard’s Bay Coal Terminal. This increase will be facilitated through capital expenditure on two fronts, the supporting infrastructure, i.e. the electrical network supplying the locomotives and the locomotives themselves. In order for Transnet to accomplish the above they need to upgrade their power supply to their various traction substations between Ermelo and Richards Bay to facilitate the introduction of the new, larger locomotives that will be added to increase the volume of coal being transported and exported. Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd being one of the main suppliers of electrical energy in South Africa has been tasked by Transnet to supply the additional energy requirements to these traction substations. In order to address this request, various projects were proposed including the Construction of Nzalo and Duma 400kV Main Transmission Stations and the associated 88kV and 400kV Turn in Powerlines in Kwazulu Natal Province. Duma Substation (SS) which is positioned 28 27 19.92 S and 31 42 20.83 E, new substation to be built by Transmission in order to strengthen the TX grid so that Eskom can provide services to Transnet. Various sites were investigated surrounding Duma SS, upon further investigations and analysis and using a process of elimination four (4) greenfield sites were identified and two sites are required for the Duma Substation.. The name of the Greenfield sites is yet to be decided upon and therefore for the purposes of this document and to make reference to these sites will be referred to as VGF1 & NGF2 and Greenfield 1A & Greenfield 3A. Therefore the Duma Substation will connect to either VGF1 & NGF2 or to the Greenfield 1A & Greenfield 3A. The proposed telecommunication mast would serve as voice, data as well as other telecommunications and ancillary services for Eskom staff and contractors. In order for Eskom to provide the necessary communication services for its infrastructures it is imperative that there are reliable and effective communications systems in place to provide the necessary services to the substation. Services like tele-protection, tele-control, switched voice, direct voice and hot lines as well as data services like Ethernet connectivity. Therefore the Construction of the 2X Greenfield Sites Telecommunication Radio Tower is proposed in the Ulundi & Mthonjaneni Local Municipality in Kwazulu-Natal. The Masts will be approximately 65m and 70m (NGF2 and VGF1); and 80m (Greenfield 1A and Greenfield 3A) in height requiring a foot print of 30m X 30m.