On March 28, the Gibela Rail Transport Consortium hosted a community media tour celebrating South Africa’s 30 years of democracy.
The company showcased its operations and community initiatives to various local journalists from the province, including Mapepeza.
Established in 2013, Gibela is a cutting-edge train manufacturing company based in Nigel, Gauteng. It’s a partnership between French train company Alstom and Ubumbano Rail.
The company has a long-term contract with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to produce modern passenger trains meeting international standards.
Gibela has exceeded its milestone of manufacturing 600 trains for PRASA over 10 years. The South African government invested R1 billion into this fully black-empowered project.
Advanced Manufacturing Processes
Gibela employs state-of-the-art technology, including 7-axis welding robots that enable production of two train cars daily. At full capacity, Gibela manufactures 1.5 trains weekly, with an annual target of 62 trains.
The company has achieved the world’s fastest locomotive manufacturing rate. With 1,240 employees, Gibela promotes diversity and inclusion. Many young black professionals comprise its workforce, with women making up 50% of board members and leading several key departments.
Portia Maposse, a 25-year-old Systems Engineer, exemplifies this commitment to diversity as the only woman in her seven-person department. Since joining Gibela after graduating in 2023, she has become essential to the team developing innovative railway systems.
“I am the only woman in my team, and I am also the youngest,” she noted while explaining her role.
Loyiso Jiya, Head of Communications and Stakeholder Management, highlighted Gibela’s accomplishments: “We follow the ‘cheetah method’—working with speed while maintaining safety and quality standards. We now produce up to seven trains monthly, setting a world record. We’ve surpassed Chinese production speed and are ahead of schedule for 2026.”
During the tour, each department was led by skilled young black women under 30, demonstrating Gibela’s commitment to empowering young talent in the railway sector.
Passenger-Focused Innovation
Gibela’s trains prioritize passenger comfort and accessibility with:
- Wide doors accommodating wheelchairs
- Color-coded seating for pregnant women, parents with small children, and disabled passengers
- Foldable seats creating extra space for caregivers
- Air conditioning for all-weather comfort
- High capacity design (1,200 passengers per six-car train)
- Advanced security including CCTV cameras and emergency alarms
- Durable stainless steel interiors
- Anti-crash systems meeting international standards
- Energy efficiency while reaching speeds of 120 km/h
Economic Development Impact
Gibela has boosted South Africa’s economy through its local supplier network of 85 South African companies providing cables, subsystems, interior components, and metallic parts. Each train contains 145 tonnes of South African steel.
The company has reinvested in communities, with over 58% of train value spent locally. Gibela runs skills development programs empowering young South Africans with expertise in railway manufacturing, fostering economic growth and job creation
Gibela represents more than train manufacturing—it’s driving economic development, technological advancement, and social transformation in South Africa and the continent.
Through innovation, gender inclusivity, safety standards, and local industry support, Gibela is establishing new benchmarks for railway manufacturing both nationally and globally.
