Various fruit industry bodies together with Transnet have resolved to continue working together to ensure that South Africa’s ports function properly with the key focus of sustaining jobs, the economy and the international market.
In a joined statement, Transnet, Hortgro, the Fresh Produce Exporters Forum, and the South African Table Grape Industry agreed that a more proactive approach at the strategic and operational levels is needed to resolve the challenges that are hampering the deciduous fruit export market, especially at the port of Cape Town.
Working ports important
“Meetings will continue every week to exchange information on expected fruit flows and status reports of port operations throughout the season, but specifically during the peak of the stone fruit, table grape, and early pear season.
“While the deciduous fruit industry is concerned about the physical flow of product through the port of Cape Town in the coming season, Transnet management committed to better planning, sourcing additional equipment, on-site maintenance capacity and increasing availability of spares,” the statement said.
The state-owned company has been embroiled in one crisis after the other in the last months with the farming community calling for urgent intervention by the national government to ensure that ports are working for agricultural exports.
Portia Derby stepped down as chief executive officer of Transnet last month, followed by the chief financial officer Nonkululeko Dlamini.
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Eight-point plan – a starting point
According to the statement, Transnet had presented an eight-point plan on how to improve efficiencies in the port of Cape Town with a sense of urgency.
“The plans include optimising the port as a delivery platform, combating adverse weather conditions, improving truck operations, optimising marine services, improving information sharing, and port operations visibility; terminal equipment and port infrastructure, people management and managing the immediate crisis,” the statement said.
Progress with port interventions
The fruit industry was also updated on the acquisition of the 16 additional shore tension units and the delivery thereof, which are expected to improve the effectiveness of the ports.
“We are hopeful that these interventions and plans will make a difference in the coming months and that we will experience logistical improvements.
“The industry also agreed to investigate mechanisms to contract and second maintenance capacity and to investigate ways to fast track the procurement of key pieces of equipment which is urgently needed. The cost and contractual arrangements for Transnet to use and reimburse such procured equipment, still need to be resolved,” the statement said.
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