Russell Baatjies

Chief Executive, Transnet Freight Rail

Russell Baatjies is Chief Executive of Transnet Freight Rail.

Transnet Freight Rail is the freight railway operator of state-owned Transnet. Baatjies took over from Sizakele Mzimela, who left at the end of October 2023, and has since worked on longer trains and open access to the network.

In the job

  1. Transnet appointed Baatjies as acting Transnet Freight Rail chief executive after Sizakele Mzimela resigned. Source

Career before

  1. 2017-General manager, Iron Ore and Manganese business unit, Transnet Freight Rail
  2. Managing executive, Cape Corridor, Transnet Freight Rail
  3. Regional executive and local business manager, Transnet Engineering

Education

BSc (Rail Operations), Glasgow Caledonian University; B.Tech, Cape University of Technology

Sources

  1. freightnews.co.za
  2. devdiscourse.com
  3. railways.africa
  4. dailymaverick.co.za
  5. en.wikipedia.org

Facts last checked 3 November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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