The locomotive of a Transnet SOC Ltd. freight train transports wagons of coal from the Mafube open-cast coal mine, operated by Exxaro Resources Ltd. and Thungela Resources Ltd., towards Richard’s Bay coal terminal, in Mpumalanga, South Africa on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. South Africa relies on coal to generate more than 80% of its electricity, and has been subjected to intermittent outages since 2008 because state utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. can’t meet demand from its old and poorly maintained plants. Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Nov 8 (Reuters) – A Transnet train carrying coal for export derailed on Tuesday on its way to the Richards Bay port, the state-owned South African logistics company said.

No injuries were reported and response teams were on their way to the site, Transnet said in a statement.

Transnet did not say how much coal the train was carrying.

South Africa’s coal exports to Europe have surged this year, following a European Union ban on imports of the fossil fuel from Russia, after its invasion of Ukraine in February.

The country’s mineral exports have, however, been hobbled by Transnet’s underperformance, blamed on a shortage of locomotives, poor maintenance, copper cable theft and vandalism of infrastructure. Transnet says rampant cable theft increases the risk of derailments.

This is a developing story…

(Reporting by Nelson Banya; Editing by Andrew Heavens Editing by Louise Heavens)

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