Since they were acquired solely for use on the Richards Bay coal line where they would always work in multiple unit lashups, they were built with single cabs.
Following the Class 9E which had entered service in 1978, the Class 7E1 was the second single cab mainline electric locomotive to be acquired by the SAR.
Until the Class 9E was introduced in 1978, all South African mainline electric locomotives were dual cab units.

The two sides of the Class 7E1 are sufficiently different in appearance that, when coupled end to end, a pair of them appears at first glance to be two different locomotive types.
The left side is smooth, while the right has several large grilles.
Since they were acquired solely for use on the Richards Bay coal line where they would always work in multiple unit lashups, they were built with single cabs. Following the Class 9E which had entered service in 1978, the Class 7E1 was the second single cab mainline electric locomotive to be acquired by the SAR. Until the Class 9E was introduced in 1978, all South African mainline electric locomotives were dual cab units.
The two sides of the Class 7E1 are sufficiently different in appearance that, when coupled end to end, a pair of them appears at first glance to be two different locomotive types. The left side is smooth, while the right has several large grilles.
South African Class 7E1