In this Coffee with the Editor interview, Railways Africa Editor Phillippa Dean speaks with James Holley, CEO of Traxtion.

Holley reflects on why Traxtion did not apply for rail access slots in this round, explaining that the awards remain conditional on certification and rolling stock availability, and that the company’s fleet of sixty locomotives is already fully deployed across nine African countries under long-term contracts.

With each slot requiring investment starting at a minimum of R250 million per train set, he emphasises that meaningful participation depends on raising significant capital and ensuring that the rail access agreement is bankable, with appropriate service-level commitments, balanced protections, and recognition of lender rights.

Despite not applying, Holley remains optimistic, noting that Traxtion is well advanced in raising funding and expects to make announcements soon, even before the release of the second version of the network statement, which he believes will address key concerns.

Turning to the continental picture, Holley highlights Traxtion’s growing footprint, with operations already established in nine countries and a tenth, Guinea, coming online soon. He points to the company’s contracts in Angola, supporting Lobito Atlantic Railway and the DRC, as well as a new third-party maintenance and training support project in Guinea. These ventures build on Traxtion’s decades of experience, backed by thirty-eight years of operational foundations, industry certifications, and more than R100 million invested in training facilities at Rosslyn.

The next phase of exponential growth is imminent and Traxtion is poised to play a leading role in bringing new trains, wagons, and expertise into South Africa and across the region.