DA WC calls on Transnet to upgrade critical infrastructure at Port of Cape Town

6 August 2023

The DA in the Western Cape has noted the release of the Transporter Congestion Report (TCR) by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT), which identified the key constraints holding back the Port’s efficiency.

The DEDAT had commissioned the research in its tireless efforts to enable high economic growth in the Western Cape, once again going beyond its mandate to fight for our residents.

Unsurprisingly, inadequate investment in infrastructure at the Port is one of the leading causes of inefficiency. As an example, the Port only has 16 Rubber-Tyred Gantries (RTGs), used to load and unload trucks, while the report found that the optimal number for a port of this size would be 39.

Other problems include ineffective utilisation of night shift capacity, security concerns, and a lack of communication between the Transnet National Ports Authority and Transnet Port Terminal’s security teams.

The report pointed clearly to increased investment, possibly from the private sector, as well as private sector management of the terminal as recommendations that Transnet must explore.

The Growth for Jobs Strategy has emphasised the importance of government enabling the private sector to grow, and improving the Port is a key part of that.

The DA in the Western Cape is therefore calling on Transnet to urgently implement the recommendations of this report, as thousands of jobs can be unlocked if we could just get our Port operating at a world-class level.

Issued by Cayla Murray, DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Finance, Economic Opportunities and Tourism, 6 August 2023