Transnet's freight arm's spokesman, Sandile Simelani, said it would take some time to clear the line between Kumba Iron Ore's Sishen mine and the port of Saldhana following the derailment.
Kumba, a unit of global miner Anglo American and the world's 10th-largest iron ore producer, uses the line to export the steel-making ingredient to overseas markets.
Simelani said the cause of the derailment of the train, which had 124 wagons carrying the raw material, had not yet been established but workers were busy clearing the site.
'We will need to conduct an enquiry to establish what happened. We will also need to clear the iron ore (from the rail track) before the line can be opened, but I can't tell when this is going to happen,' Simelani told Reuters.
Transnet said exports of iron ore in the 2010 financial year rose to 44.7 million tonnes, in line with customer commitments, compared with 36.8 million tonnes in the previous financial year.
(Reporting by Shapi Shacinda; editing by Patrick Graham) (For more Africa cover visit: http://af.reuters.com/ -- To comment on this story email: SouthAfrica.Newsroom@reuters.com) Keywords: TRANSNET/TRAIN (shapi.shacinda@thomsonreuters.com; +27 11 775 3142; Reuters Messaging: shapi.shacinda.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
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