U.S. Taxpayers Footing Bill to Bring Foreign Railroad Manager-Trainees to America

The U.S. government is offering financial assistance toward manager-training programs that will benefit the nation's rail transit systems -- in the nation of South Africa, that is.

This grant from the U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) comes at a time when the Government of South Africa is already planning an infusion of "massive capital investments"  into a large "rail, port, and pipeline company" of  which it is majority owner.  Despite having the ability to facilitate this cash infusion, the Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) and an affiliated unit, Transnet Rail Engineering ("TRE"), have asked USTDA for funds to help it prepare the next generation of rail managers.

Under the "Training for the Transnet Management and Operations Development Program," (Solicitation #2007-11011A), USTDA will give $500,000 to the company to send employees to the U.S. for such training.