Transnet SOC Ltd

Transnet SOC Ltd, the state-owned freight and logistics company, runs South Africa’s freight rail network, its major commercial ports and its fuel pipelines. Transnet’s head office stands at 96 Rissik Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

Registered name

Transnet SOC Ltd

Type

State-owned company (freight rail, ports and pipelines)

Fields funded

Engineering, built environment, commercial and technical trades

Website

transnet.net

Phone

+27 11 308 3000

The Transnet bursary: study now, work later

Transnet funds bursaries across a wide spread of engineering disciplines, because trains, ports and pipelines need civil, electrical, mechanical and industrial engineers as well as commercial staff. Transnet treats every bursar as a potential employee from the start.

The bursary agreement makes that explicit. For each year of funding, Transnet expects a year of work after qualifying, subject to a suitable vacancy, and a bursar who does not serve the period may have to repay the money. Students who want funding without a job commitment should look elsewhere.

The last Transnet bursary round closed on 6 October 2025. The 2027 call had not appeared when BursariesAfrica checked; Transnet usually advertises in August or September through its careers portal, so expect a closing date in late September or early October 2026.

Learnerships for people who want to start working

Transnet also advertises learnerships on its official talent portal. Technical learnerships run for 12 to 24 months and non-technical ones for about 18 months. Learnerships pay a stipend and combine training with workplace experience at Transnet sites, which suits young people who want practical skills rather than a university degree. No 2027 closing date had been confirmed when BursariesAfrica checked.

Avoiding fake Transnet adverts

Transnet recruitment attracts scams because so many people want Transnet jobs. Transnet never charges application fees. Apply only through Transnet’s own careers portal, and treat any advert that asks for money or uses a personal email address as fraudulent.

Transnet operates ports, rail yards and pipelines in many parts of the country, from Durban and Richards Bay to Saldanha. Before signing a bursary agreement, ask where Transnet plans to place graduates in your discipline and how Transnet counts the work-back years if you study part-time or repeat a year.

Students interested in rail and transport careers can also look at the PRASA bursary and the Railway Safety Regulator bursary.