Thesis (MEcon)--Stellenbosch University, 1997. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: On 31 March 1990 the South African Transport Services (SATS) ceased to exist and on 1 April 1990 in its place emerged Transnet, a diversified transport company wholly owned by the South African government. Transnet was founded on the understanding that the government might eventually choose to sell it to the private sector. This study project report discusses the history and events leading up to the creation of Transnet. Thereafter the advantages and disadvantages of privatisation are identified, followed by international privatisation case studies which provide the basis for a discussion of some of the economic issues behind railway privatisation. The separation of infrastructure from operations, which was identified through the case studies as one of the most controversial and far-reaching concepts of railway privatisation, is also examined. Lastly, the study project focuses on the marketing strategy Spoornet ought to pursue in order to ensure sufficient high-value freight in the future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Op 31 Maart 1990 het die Suid-Afrikaanse Vervoerdienste ophou bestaan en is dit op 1 April 1990 vervang deur Transnet, 'n gediversifiseerde vervoermaatskappy wat deur die Suid-Afrikaanse regering besit word. Van meet afwas dit die bedoeling dat die regering die keuse het om Transnet aan die privaatsektor te verkoop. Die werkstuk bespreek die geskiedenis en gebeure wat aanleiding gegee het tot die ontstaan van Transnet. Daarna word die voor- en nadele van privatisering bespreek, gevolg deur internasionale spoorwegprivateriseringsgevallestudies. Daarna word die ekonomiese teorie wat privatisering onderle, bespreek. Die skeiding van infrastruktuur en bedryf, wat deur die gevallestudies as een van die mees omstrede en verreikende aspekte van spoorwegprivatisering ge"identifiseer is, word ook bespreek. Laastens fokus die werkstuk op die bemarkingstrategie wat Spoornet behoort na te streef om hoe-waarde vragte te bekom.

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Although the original intent of this study was to do a pre-and post-deregulation assessment of rail rates per ton-mile, the results using post-deregulation data show a significant decrease in rail rates between 1981 and 2000. While accounting for changes in shipment characteristics, savings for wheat, barley, com, oat, and soybean shippers were 63.80%, 69.17%, 49.07%, 67.97%, and 59.36%, respectively. Rate savings over time for an average 1981 shipment were 45%, 55%, 38%, 45%, and 36% for wheat, barley, com, oat, and soybean shippers, respectively. Analysis regarding the effects of deregulation of rail rates on com, soybean, and wheat on a regional basis shows that rail rates not only differ across commodities, but also among regions. In general, it was found that grain producers within regions that had higher levels of intermodal competition had lower rates than their counterparts with lower levels of intermodal competition. Distribution of benefits as a result of market-based pricing has varied among regions, and these variances are increasing over time.