Best Railways Africa Podcasts (2024)

1
Out of Africa: 'Kalahari' NG15- 134 Back in Steam & Memories of Uganda , Railway Ride-outs in Wales 49:47

15h ago49:47

49:47

Send us a text This episode focusses on engines from Africa. The first returned to steam after 20 years of restoration work and fundraising from dedicated volunteers – the NG 15 134. Alasdair talks to volunteer project leader Adrian Strachan and some of the volunteers and staff Now you know many a gem is found browsing a Railway Second hand book st…

1
Navigating Rail Reform and Open Access: Insights from Adj. Prof. Dr. Andrea Giuricin at the RSR Conference 16:45

9d ago16:45

16:45

In this Coffee with the Editor, Railways Africa Magazine interviews Adj. Prof. Dr. Andrea Giuricin, CEO of TRA Consulting, at the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) Conference in Cape Town. Dr. Giuricin shares his expertise on global rail reform, the complexities of open access, and the importance of adapting reforms to each country’s unique context. D…

1
Beyond Railways and Ports: China's Evolving Lending Strategy in Africa 51:52

22d ago51:52

51:52

Chinese lending to African countries rebounded in a big way in 2023 after seven consecutive years of decline. Last year, Chinese lenders approved loans totaling $4.61 billion to African borrowers, a dramatic increase over the $922 million lent in 2022, according to Boston University's Global Development Policy Center (GDPC). In the past, China lent…

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] Update on the State of the BRI in the New "Small and Beautiful" Era 56:16

2h ago56:16

56:16

There's been a lot of talk in recent years about the new "small and beautiful" doctrine that now guides China's Belt and Road Initiative. The problem is that a lot of people still do not understand what it actually means in practice. President Xi Jinping first unveiled the concept at the Third Belt-and-Road Symposium in 2021 when he said that China…

1
Chinese Companies Engage in Massive "Forest Looting" in the DR Congo 39:44

1h ago39:44

39:44

Two Chinese logging companies are now the largest timber harvesters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with concessions sized at more than 3 million hectares. The firms, Wan Peng and Booming Green, are engaged in industrial-scale logging to export raw timber mostly back to China. But researchers at the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)…

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] Power Shift: China’s Role in Central Asia’s Renewable Energy Transformation 59:28

1d ago59:28

59:28

Even though the five countries in Central Asia are among the world's largest fossil fuel producers, the region faces chronic electricity shortages due to a lack of refining capacity. The energy crunch is further compounded by a reluctance to become overly dependent on Russian fuel. To solve both problems, several Central Asian governments are looki…

1
Stymied in the West, Chinese EV Brands Look to Expand in Africa 41:19

6d ago41:19

41:19

Just over a million new vehicles were sold in Africa last year, a relatively small number given the continent's enormous population, estimated at 1.5 billion. Chinese auto brands are looking at that discrepancy and think it provides a unique opportunity for rapid expansion, particularly in the budding electric vehicle market. BAIC Motors, BYD, Xpen…

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] India Claims Major Breakthrough in Border Stand-off With China 50:22

9d ago50:22

50:22

India and China have reached a deal to de-escalate tensions along their bitterly disputed border in the Himalayas, potentially ending a contentious four-year stand-off between the two Asian powers. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday that the two countries agreed to conduct joint military patrols along the border known as the Line …

1
PRASA’s Recovery and Future Vision: Insights from Group CEO Hishaam Emeran at the Railway Safety Conference 15:23

9d ago15:23

15:23

In this Coffee with the Editor episode, filmed during the Railway Safety Conference hosted by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) in Cape Town, PRASA Group CEO, Hishaam Emeran, delves into PRASA’s recovery strategy, future plans, and its role within South Africa's broader rail industry. Hishaam shares insights from his recent trip to China, where he…

1
Gautrain Expansion and Africa’s Rail Future: Insights from Gautrain CEO Tshepo Kgobe 27:21

9d ago27:21

27:21

In this Coffee with the Editor episode, filmed at the Railway Safety Conference hosted by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) in Cape Town, Railways Africa Magazine speaks with Gautrain Management Agency CEO, Tshepo Kgobe. Tshepo provides insights into the exciting developments for the Gautrain, including plans for network expansion, which will exte…

1
Gauteng Shifting from Road to Rail: A Conversation with Transport MEC Kedibone Diale Tlabela 19:04

10d ago19:04

19:04

Join us for an insightful "Coffee with the Editor" conversation with MEC Kedibone Diale Tlabela, Gauteng’s MEC for Roads and Transport, recorded at the 2024 Railway Safety Regulator Conference in Cape Town, hosted by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR). In this interview, the MEC discusses exciting developments in Gauteng's rail sector, including th…

1
Rail Safety, Open Access, and Industry Transformation with RSR Chairperson Nompumelelo Sibongile Ekeke 7:43

11d ago7:43

7:43

In this edition of Coffee with the Editor, filmed during the Railway Safety Conference hosted by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) under the theme "Rail Renaissance", we sit down with Ms Nompumelelo Sibongile Ekeke, the Chairperson of the RSR. Ms Ekeke shares key insights into the state of South Africa's rail industry, the critical need to move fr…

1
Global Gateway in Africa: Europe's Answer to China's Belt and Road 1:00:03

12d ago1:00:03

1:00:03

The European Commission's Global Gateway initiative will turn three years old in December. The $300 billion infrastructure initiative was launched with great fanfare to provide developing countries in Africa and elsewhere with an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative. Many European stakeholders also hoped that Global Gateway would catalyz…

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] China's Paying a High Cost for Its "All-Weather" Relationship With Pakistan 51:00

16d ago51:00

51:00

Chinese Premier Li Qiang is in Pakistan this week to get ties with its South Asian neighbor back on track after a series of terrorist attacks this year. The latest incident occurred earlier this month near the airport in the southern port city of Karachi when separatist militants with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) killed two Chinese nationals in…

1
Judd Devermont on the State of U.S. Foreign Policy in Africa 1:00:24

20d ago1:00:24

1:00:24

U.S. President Joe Biden was supposed to be in Angola this week, fulfilling a pledge to visit the continent he made back at the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. But with massive hurricanes pounding the southern United States, the president was forced to postpone the visit. The trip to Angola would have marked a major milestone for Biden. The southw…

51
Negotiating Chinese Infrastructure Deals: Lessons From Two African Countries 39:16

26d ago39:16

39:16

Africa is the only region in the world where access to electricity is actually shrinking. Prolonged drought across large swathes of the continent has severely impacted hydropower production, triggering large-scale electricity outages — most notably in Zambia. China plays a critical role in this crisis, both as a major financier of African power inf…

1
DRC's Rail Network, Expansion, Challenges, and Future Plans with SNCC’s Tresor Kapuku Ngoy 23:18

1M ago23:18

23:18

In this special episode of Coffee with the Editor, filmed at the Southern African Railways Association Conference and Exhibition, we sit down with Tresor Kapuku Ngoy, Deputy Director General of Société Nationale des Chemins de fer du Congo (SNCC SA). In this insightful discussion, we explore the current state and future of the Democratic Republic o…

1
Exploring Nigeria's Rail Property Management with Tunde Ayorinde 4:26

1M ago4:26

4:26

In this episode of Coffee with the Editor, filmed during the Southern African Railways Association (SARA) Conference and Exhibition, we speak with Tunde Ayorinde from the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s property side. Tunde provides insights into the rapid growth of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, which now spans over 3,000 kilometres and operates…

1
Revitalising Rail Freight: Kenneth Williams on Makoya Group's Role & Transnet's Progress 5:24

1M ago5:24

5:24

In this episode of “Coffee with the Editor,” filmed during the Critical Materials Conference: FerroAlloys 2024 held in Johannesburg from 9th to 11th September, Railways Africa Magazine talks to, Kenneth Williams from the Makoya Group. The Makoya Group is a niche bulk-handling commodity advisory service for the mining industry, specialising in rail …

1
Railroads and Rivalries in Southern Africa 1:04:48

1M ago1:04:48

1:04:48

The U.S. and China plan to spend billions of dollars refurbishing key railway lines in southern Africa that link critical resource mining hubs in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with ports on both sides of the continent. For the U.S., it's the Lobito Atlantic Railway that goes from the copper belt in Zambia 1,300km west across Angol…

51
[GLOBAL SOUTH] China's Response to the Wars in the Middle East 48:13

1M ago48:13

48:13

The rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon prompted a strong reaction from the Chinese government this week. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib on Monday at the UN in New York and condemned Israel's actions as “indiscriminate attacks against civilians." It's notable, th…

1
[WEEK IN REVIEW] Illegal Chinese Miners in Ghana Have Been Warned 1:01:00

1M ago1:01:00

1:01:00

China's new ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, spoke out forcefully this week to condemn the ongoing problem of illegal mining in the country and issued a fresh warning to his compatriots that if they are caught breaking the law, the embassy will not be there to bail them out. Also, Kenyan President William Ruto traveled to Germany where he was once a…

1
Crewe Heritage Centre, Avanti's Present Day Crewe & Railways by Bike 56:24

1M ago56:24

56:24

Send us a text In this episode of Making Tracks we visit the Cheshire town of Crewe, once dubbed the ' Railway Capital of the World ' -and see how the the town's railway and industrial inheritance is being preserved at the Crewe Heritage Centre, We meet three trustees and take a walk around the museum, sit in the cab of the only remaining APT – Adv…

1
Luxembourg Rail Protocol Transforming Rail Asset Management 8:49

1M ago8:49

8:49

In this edition of Coffee with the Editor, our editor Phillippa Dean sits down with Howard Rosen, Chairman of the Rail Working Group, at the Southern African Railways Association’s (SARA) annual conference and exhibition. The discussion covers the latest developments around the Luxembourg Rail Protocol and its growing influence on rail asset manage…

1
Assessing Railway Systems: Insights from Hatch at SAHHA 10:26

1M ago10:26

10:26

In this episode of Railways Africa Magazine’s “Coffee with the Editor,” our editor, Phillippa Dean, speaks with Anneri Robinson from Hatch at the South African Heavy Haul Association (SAHHA) conference about her paper, “Approach to Assessing the Condition of a Railway System,” co-authored with Nathan Wilson. Robinson talks about the challenges face…

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] How Persian Gulf Countries Are Responding to the U.S.-China Rivalry 35:07

2M ago35:07

35:07

For much of the past thirty years, since the end of the Cold War, the United States has been largely unrivaled in its power in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. Today, that is no longer the case as the U.S. faces new challenges both from regional powers like Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as international competitors, including China and Russia.…

1
SMH Rail Expands African Presence: Insights from Kenya, Tanzania, and New Ventures in South Africa 4:52

2M ago4:52

4:52

In this episode of Coffee with the Editor, filmed at the Southern African Railways Association (SARA) annual conference and exhibition, Phillippa Dean engages with Kannan Ponnusamy, Head of Business Development at SMH Rail. They explore SMH Rail’s impactful projects across Africa, focusing on locomotive remanufacturing in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia an…

1
Can China Help Africa Become the Next Factory of the World? 46:25

2M ago46:25

46:25

For decades, African governments have tried to lure Chinese manufacturing companies to set up factories in their countries with the promise of an abundant supply of low-cost labor. Other than a few high-profile companies, Chinese companies, for the most part, have balked — preferring instead to offshore production closer to home in Southeast Asia. …

1
New Rail Safety Act, Open Access, and Industry Challenges: Exclusive with RSR Acting CEO Mmuso Selaledi 13:57

2M ago13:57

13:57

Join Railways Africa’s Editor, Phillippa Dean, in this Coffee with the Editor as she sits down with the Acting CEO of the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), Mmuso Selaledi, to discuss the upcoming changes in South Africa’s rail safety landscape. In this in-depth interview, Selaledi provides insights into the new Railways Safety Act awaiting presidenti…

1
Grindrod Rail's Strategic Growth Plans: Insights from CEO Johny Smith 4:28

2M ago4:28

4:28

In this Coffee with the Editor, Johny Smith, CEO of Grindrod Rail, shares insights into the company's strategy and plans in light of their recent interim results. Despite a challenging period, Grindrod Rail's performance has been commendable, showcasing the company's resilience and strategic focus. Smith highlights the critical role of rail in Grin…

1
Transforming Urban Mass Transit In Southern Africa Spotlight On Kinshasa 13:01

2M ago13:01

13:01

In this Coffee with the Editor, we catch up with Bernard Peille just before his transition from Managing Director of Alstom Southern Africa to Alstom Brazil. Bernard discusses Alstom's involvement in the MetroKin project in Kinshasa, a key mass transit initiative aimed at addressing the city's severe congestion. Alstom is set to be part of the firs…

1
[DOUBLE EPISODE] The China-Africa Summit Debrief 1:31:40

2M ago1:31:40

1:31:40

The three-day Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit wrapped up in Beijing on Friday. The big headline from this year's gathering was the announcement that China will provide $50.7 billion in financing to African countries over the next three years. Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled the customary mega pledge as part of a ten-point act…

1
Rail Safety Regulator Chairperson on 21 Years, Industry Milestones and Women Leading in Rail 10:10

2M ago10:10

10:10

In this special edition of Coffee with the Editor, we catch up with Ms Nompumelelo Sibongile Ekeke, the Chairperson of the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), at the SARA Conference and Exhibition held at the Sandton Convention Centre. Ms Ekeke discusses the exciting developments in rail safety, including the inaugural Rail Safety Awards celebrating 21…

1
[GLOBAL SOUTH] Why the U.S. is Struggling to Compete in the Global Competition for Critical Resources 56:54

2M ago56:54

56:54

U.S. officials have spoken at length about the urgent need to end their country's dependency on China for the critical resources needed to power next-generation mobility and technology. Part of the solution, they say, is to compete directly with the Chinese for lithium, cobalt, and other critical mineral mining rights around the world. The problem …

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