Transnet and Swaziland Railways on Thursday launched an estimated R17 billion railway line that will run between the two countries.

The project will be commissioned in 2016 and is set to be the first large scale rail investment in southern Africa since the construction of the Richards Bay line in 1976.

Of the R17 billion needed for the project, SA will provide R12 billion while Swaziland will provide the balance.

Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba said government was committed to ensure that the line sees the light of day. "There is also an appetite from investors," he said.

“This investment is complementary to our other large coal investments that we are still going to rollout," said Brian Molefe, chief executive of Transnet in Johannesburg.

The new line will be developed from Lothair in Mpumalanga and Sidvokodvo in Swaziland.

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