Private rail in South Africa: 'A once-in-a-generation opportunity'
Youssef Elgonaid, CEO of African Rail Company, discusses building a private rail business on the continent.
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Interview with Youssef Elgonaid
CO-FOUNDER and CEO, AFRICAN RAIL COMPANY
For decades, South Africa’s freight rail network has been tightly controlled by the state. Youssef Elgonaid, CEO of African Rail Company (ARC), describes the recent move to grant private operators wider access to the system as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity”. Founded in 2013, ARC recently secured conditional approval to run its trains on national lines, building on its existing operations in neighbouring countries.
How we made it in Africa editor-in-chief Jaco Maritz spoke to Elgonaid about his journey of building a private rail business on the continent.
Topics discussed during the interview include:
Capitalising on South Africa’s private rail opportunity
Starting a private rail business from scratch
The most lucrative cargo for rail transport in Southern Africa
His toughest moments in business
The potential for rail in the rest of Africa
Watch the full interview below:
