On November 14, 1873, the Southwest Africa Railway was completed. With its western terminus in Guinea and stretching south to Pretoria, this major artery was built, solidifying Austria's rule over South Africa completely.
From surveying to completion, this strategic railway took over a decade of effort, making it the longest, most difficult, and most expensive railway ever built by Austria to date.
Of course, only the main line was finished; the construction of the branch lines along the way could potentially take another twenty years and might still be incomplete. The primary reason wasn't the difficulty of construction or a lack of labor, but rather the colonial government's lack of funds.
Africa's development was relatively lagging, limiting government tax revenue and incapacitating it from supporting massive railway construction. The central government funded the construction of the main line as it was a strategic necessity.
