Transnet to Dispose of Carlton Centre, Durban Station Precincts and 13 Other Properties

State-owned logistics and ports operator Transnet is to dispose of 15 immovable commercial properties that are not part of its core assets, confirming the plan in a government gazette filing on Monday.

The properties include the historic Carlton Centre in the Johannesburg CBD, spanning 28,291 square metres of land; the 47,192 square metre Durban Station precinct, which houses retail giant Mr Price's national head office and the rail station managed by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa); the 26,900 square metre 1 Anchor Way property in Cape Town's prime Foreshore area; the Bloemfontein Golf Course and clubhouse; and the land on which the Umlazi Mega City mall is built.

Under the disposal plan, national government departments, provincial departments, municipalities, state-owned companies and other public entities have a 30-day first right of refusal to express interest in acquiring, utilising or leasing the properties before the sale opens to the public.

The Carlton Centre office tower, at 223 metres one of the top three tallest buildings on the continent, has not been occupied since Transnet vacated the building before the Covid-19 pandemic, while the once five-star Carlton Hotel has not operated in over three decades and is in a derelict state.

The divestment follows a multi-billion rand guarantee facility issued by National Treasury in late 2023, which came with strict conditions requiring Transnet to divest non-core assets, reduce its cost structure and explore alternative funding models for infrastructure and maintenance.