09/09/2026
The Southern African Railways Association (SARA), together with The Gauteng Growth and Development Agencyeng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition South Africa (DTIC), and Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager - TRIM, recently undertook a technical visit to ZAK Steel in Springs, Gauteng, to explore local rail manufacturing capabilities and how South African industry can contribute to stronger rail infrastructure and supply chains across Southern Africa.
ZAK Steel, part of the Clyde Industrial Corporation, is a South African provider of permanent-way material with a strong focus on rail and rail components for both surface and underground applications. Established in 1919, ZAK Steel has a long-standing presence in the steel and rail sector, producing rail profiles from 15kg/m to 57kg/m and supporting customers across the SADC region.
The delegation gained firsthand insight into ZAK Steel’s manufacturing and engineering capabilities, including its ability to bend, curve, cut, and drill rail according to specific project requirements. These capabilities demonstrate the value of having responsive technical and manufacturing capacity closer to the markets and infrastructure being served.
Quality and reliability were also central to the engagement, with quality assurance processes applied throughout operations and technical expertise supporting customers in selecting appropriate materials for specific applications.
A key focus of the visit was localisation and the broader question of how Southern Africa can strengthen its own rail supply ecosystem. As rail infrastructure investment grows across the region, understanding existing manufacturing capacity is essential to identifying opportunities for local production, skills development, industrial growth and more resilient supply chains.
Key benefits of the visit included:
✔ Greater insight into South Africa’s permanent-way manufacturing capabilities
✔ Understanding the range of locally supplied rail products and components
✔ Exploring opportunities to strengthen localisation within the rail sector
✔ Exposure to engineering services including rail bending, cutting and drilling
✔ Identifying opportunities to strengthen regional rail supply chains across SADC
✔ Reinforcing collaboration between government, infrastructure managers and local industry
ZAK steel’s long-standing presence in the rail sector and its comprehensive permanent-way offering highlight the industrial capabilities that already exist within South Africa.
For SARA, technical engagements such as this are an important part of connecting infrastructure requirements with the manufacturing and engineering capacity available in the region, while identifying where further investment, collaboration and localisation can unlock greater value for Southern Africa’s rail industry.
