[2][page needed] In the late 1950s South Africa, at the time one of the last bastions of steam traction, planned to embark on a massive dieselisation program.

A SAR technical team was sent to Europe and the United States to prepare an assessment of design alternatives, finalise specifications and compile a list of qualified bidders.

[2][page needed] In the United States only Alco, GE and General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) were considered to be qualified bidders.

As a long-time prior supplier of steam locomotives for the SAR, Alco appeared to be virtually assured of receiving the order.

[2][page needed] The SAR's tender for bid was issued in 1957, with two options:[2][page needed] These units were intended for operation in South West Africa under very light rail conditions that necessitated lighter axle loadings which could not be achieved with conventional Co bogies under a heavy locomotive.

[2][page needed] The SAR made it clear that, despite the two options afforded by the tender, its strong preference was for a 1Co+Co1 locomotive.

[2][page needed] The Class 32-000 was designed specifically for service in SWA and most of them spent their entire SAR working lives there.

[3][7] After withdrawal from SAR service in the 1980s, almost fifty of the Class 32-000 locomotives were sold to Zaire's Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Zaïrois (SNCZ) which became the Société nationale des Chemins de fer du Congo (SNCC) after the country's name change to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.