LETTER: Transnet halts spares deal with China’s CRRC using unfathomable logic

If I drew a flow chart of your article, “Transnet train parts deal with Chinese manufacturer falters,” (January 12), it would be an arrow starting at the front of a train, then describing a circle only to disappear up the train’s rear entrance.

It seems Transnet halted a parts and spares contract with the Chinese Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), the company that supplied a number of rail locomotives, due to tender irregularities. Since most government contracts are irregular, why, one asks, is this one special?

Government wants an open tender to compete with CRRC. In the meantime CRRC has stopped supplying parts for several locos awaiting spares. Since no local company could possibly supply compatible parts, this means another Chinese supplier, I presume.

If I know the Chinese, this will be a paper transaction with the parts coming from the original source. But wait, it gets better. These locomotives haul trains full of commodities like coal and iron ore. And who is the major customer for these products? It’s China!

If anyone can explain the logic of this foot-shooting exercise I’d like to hear it. Otherwise, it’s just a metaphor for how not to run a railway, or a country.

Bernard Benson
Parklands

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