Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Shipping containers stand on the quay at the harbour in Cape Town. Picture: BLOOMBERG
Cape Town harbour is not working. I don’t know if there are those within Transnet whose objective it is to prevent the port from operating efficiently, or whether it is just another example of incompetence at SA’s state-owned enterprises, but the result is the same — huge financial costs to, among others, the wine and fruit exporters.
Shipping giants MSC and Ocean Network Express have dropped Cape Town port from their main European service, and Western Cape fruit export containers are increasingly moved by road toGqeberha.
“Concerns” have been raised from as far back as 2019 (before the Covid-19 pandemic) with regard to truck queues outside the docks, as well as loading/offloading delays. My company has containers on the Xing Gao 11, which was outside the harbour on January 9 but where offloading is only scheduled to start on January 25. That and the long lines of trucks waiting outside the docks every morning suggest that despite almost three years of expressed concern, nothing has been done to rectify the situation.
Transnet Port Terminals must be removed and this crucial facility managed by the Western Cape government instead. After all, if Cape Town harbour continues to malfunction, the province itself is doomed.
James Cunningham Camps Bay
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Transnet fails Cape Town
Cape Town harbour is not working. I don’t know if there are those within Transnet whose objective it is to prevent the port from operating efficiently, or whether it is just another example of incompetence at SA’s state-owned enterprises, but the result is the same — huge financial costs to, among others, the wine and fruit exporters.
Shipping giants MSC and Ocean Network Express have dropped Cape Town port from their main European service, and Western Cape fruit export containers are increasingly moved by road to Gqeberha.
“Concerns” have been raised from as far back as 2019 (before the Covid-19 pandemic) with regard to truck queues outside the docks, as well as loading/offloading delays. My company has containers on the Xing Gao 11, which was outside the harbour on January 9 but where offloading is only scheduled to start on January 25. That and the long lines of trucks waiting outside the docks every morning suggest that despite almost three years of expressed concern, nothing has been done to rectify the situation.
Transnet Port Terminals must be removed and this crucial facility managed by the Western Cape government instead. After all, if Cape Town harbour continues to malfunction, the province itself is doomed.
James Cunningham
Camps Bay
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
HILARY JOFFE: The dead hand of Transnet’s ailing rail network
Transnet tops agenda in Ramaphosa’s talks with Kenyatta
Plan for ports authority split from Transnet at advanced stage
Transnet’s half-year loss narrows as lockdowns ease
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
Port authority under scrutiny as Transnet pushes for tariff hike of nearly 25%
Is Transnet the next Eskom?
Transnet rail ‘under attack’ by cable thieves
Transnet websites still down two weeks after cyber attack
Transnet ports still clogged after crippling cyberattack
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.