I welcome the news that the United National Transport Union (UNTU) has agreed to a wage settlement, as proposed by Transnet and facilitated by the Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), yesterday evening.

This is good news for our provincial economy which relies heavily on our ports to facilitate exports, supporting tens of thousands of livelihoods across the value chain.

It is especially welcomed that the agreement with UNTU has been reached before we enter the table grape export season at the beginning of November.

We now eagerly await clarity on the position of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union, which represents 46.1% of port workers nationally.

I reiterate my call for all stakeholders to put South Africa first and to keep in mind our common goal to grow the economy, create jobs, and to re-ignite hope and confidence in our province and country.

Issued Mireille Wenger, Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, 18 October 2022