Railway systems across Southern Africa are entering a phase of complex operational changes driven by ageing infrastructure, rising freight demands, urban population growth, ongoing safety challenges, and a move towards digital transformation. Both passenger and freight networks face increasing pressure to improve safety standards, reduce incidents, comply with changing regulatory requirements, and modernise systems while ensuring operational continuity.

Incidents involving human factors, level crossings, rolling stock safety, signaling failures, cable theft, and security breaches continue to disrupt operations and create serious safety risks. As operators adopt new technologies— from digital signaling to predictive maintenance tools—there is an increasing need to align regulation, operational practice, risk management, and engineering innovation. The Rail Safety Conference 2026 addresses this need.

It will bring together regulatory specialists, engineers, safety practitioners, OEMs, transport planners, researchers, and rail operators to collaboratively manage safety risks, share case studies, and explore practical solutions for creating a safer, more resilient rail system.

Drawing on insights from previous Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) incidents, as well as international rail safety frameworks, the conference will analyse:

• operational risk and accident trends,
• evolving human factors and safety culture,
• modern signalling and telecommunications requirements,
• infrastructure and rolling stock reliability,
• technological innovations for prevention and investigation,
• cybersecurity in modern rail systems, and
• approaches to strengthening regulatory compliance and reporting.

The 2026 event will act as a platform for knowledge sharing, building partnerships, and enhancing capabilities, supporting a shared vision of safe, modern, and efficient railway transport across the region.