RATP Dev, the largest shareholder in Bombela Operating Company, which has been operating and maintaining the Gautrain, South Africa’s first high-speed train, since 2010, forms new partnerhip in South Africa.
“To support future developments, we want to be more actively aligned with the country’s urban rail priorities,” says Nthabiseng Kubheka, CEO of Bombela Operating Company and General Manager of RATP Dev in South Africa. “To achieve this, we have decided to rethink our role as a strategic partner and value creator for South Africa. We have engaged experienced local investors as well as international partners who have consistently invested in South Africa, and who have all successfully supported socio-economic development in key sectors of the economy,” adds Nathbiseng Kubheka.
“South Africa today is very different from that of 14 years ago, when Bombela Operating Company began operating the country’s first high-speed rail network. The Gautrain is now recognised as a model of successful public-private partnership. Our new partners bring leading economic experience, unparalleled expertise and in-depth knowledge of both the South African market and the global context. Together, we aim to maintain the current excellence of the Gautrain while undertaking new projects, with the aim of supporting South Africa’s communities and economy.”
The new consortium includes Alstom, GIBB, AIIM, AWCA Investment, and Motseng.
Alstom is a long-standing partner for rail solutions in South Africa and plays a major role in the local economy through the manufacture and maintenance of components and trains for PRASA and Transnet, as well as the essential rail assets of the Gautrain.
A local leader in engineering projects, GIBB has 68 years of experience and leverages its South African roots, strong local presence and understanding of Africa to plan and design infrastructure for global mega-projects, primarily in healthcare, mining, energy, land and, of course, transport.
The African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) has over 24 years of experience in the African infrastructure sector, with an investment track record spanning eight infrastructure funds in Africa. AIIM’s team of over 40 investment professionals is spread across five local offices across the continent, in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Lagos and Abidjan, providing direct coverage of its key markets. As part of this new consortium, AIIM will invest a significant portion of its R25.8 billion (USD 1.4 billion) IDEAS Fund in South Africa’s metropolitan rail sector, building on the fund’s strong track record in the energy sector. Over the past two decades, the IDEAS Fund has successfully mobilised pension fund capital to finance 14 wind farms and 18 solar power generation facilities across the country.
AWCA Investment (AIH) is comprised of 51 women, the majority of whom are chartered accountants, industry leaders and are spread across sectors and provinces. This makes AIH a unique and professional women’s investment firm, with a depth of financial skills that is essential to any business.
Women Leading Motseng Investment Holdings Group (Motseng) bring over 26 years of experience in managing diversified investments with companies and operations in the industrial, infrastructure and land sectors, including strategic investments in a portfolio of unlisted companies. Motseng has a presence across sub-Saharan Africa, including in South Africa, Mauritius, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
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