In April 2010, the South African Minister of Transport proposed a Johannesburg–Durban high-speed rail system. [1] There are concerns about the cost and engineering difficulty of the project, [2] which would have to cross the Drakensberg mountains. [3] The project is expected to cost U$30 billion, [4] but there are hopes that alternative funding sources will be available. [5] China Railway Group says it is in talks with the South African government for construction contracts. [6] In August of 2021, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula announced that a feasibility study had begun into the transport corridor, [7] with President Cyril Ramaphosa 's cabinet approving the framework for implementing the project in November 2023, highlighting the Johannesburg- Durban corridor as its main priority. [8]