The proposed Harrismith Logistical Hub (HLH) has been identified as a flagship development for the Free State Province.

The rationale for the development of a central logistics hub is a need to eradicate the traffic congestion caused by heavy haulage transportation on the N3 highway, one of the busiest long-haul freight transport corridors in South Africa.

The HLH is to be located in Harrismith at one of South Africa’s major interchanges of national and regional roads (N3 between Johannesburg and Durban) and the N5 (Durban to Cape Town route which runs through the Free State). It offers a unique opportunity to reduce the costs of freight by creating an inland port that can handle cargo containers through off loading road cargo to rail, thereby reducing the truck congestion on the roads.

It is projected that with the current steady economic growth of the Free State and the country, that the percentage of road cargo passing through Harrismith will increase by at least 35% annually over the next seven years. Therefore in anticipation of this continued growth in cargo haulage, the aim of the HLH is to provide multi-nodal transportation logistics (air, rail and road) capabilities as part of an overarching program.

A designated industrial area of land, alongside the N3 highway, has been identified as suitable for the establishment of this multi-nodal Transport Logistical Park.

The first phases of the feasibility study and the scoping report have already been conducted and FDC is in the process of commissioning the second phase feasibility study.

The projected cost of this development is R Million and potential investors are being sort for this project.