TransNamib has already secured 10 U20Cs from South Africa's Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), which will be overhauled at Transnet Engineering's Bloemfontein and Pretoria workshops before delivery to Namibia. Transnet Engineering will also refurbish 11 existing TransNamib U20Cs.

The 1.6MW GE U20Cs entered service with the former South African Railways (SAR) between 1965 and 1970 and the fledgling TransNamib system inherited a batch to form the basis of its motive power fleet ahead of the country's independence in 1990.