By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Cabinet has welcomed measures and plans put in place by Transnet to resolve the backlog at ports in Durban and Richard’s Bay.
Briefing the media on the Cabinet meeting that took place on Wednesday, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said Transnet is making intensive efforts to mobilise equipment, such as cranes, from all over the world to ensure a successful execution of its implementation plan.
“The progress made by Transnet in clearing most of the backlog at the Cape Town Container Terminal, with only one vessel at anchorage, is encouraging. Transnet remains committed to working with all role-players to address the challenges within the logistics sector,” the Minister said on Thursday.
Last week, Transnet said it was implementing a number of urgent interventions to address the backlogs at the Port of Durban and to ease the congestion at Richards Bay.
At the time, Transnet said the backlog was being caused by factors including inclement weather conditions and equipment availability.
Transnet Board Chairperson, Andile Sangqu, said: “The problem of port congestion is a complex one and it is something that was due to happen at some point, as a result of many years of underinvestment in equipment and its maintenance.
“We are working on a number of measures to turn the situation around. We need to caution that this is going to take some time as the lead times for some of the equipment is anything from 12 to 18 months. The team is working around the clock to procure this important equipment, to ensure our port facilities are in line with global best practice”.
Infrastructure development
Cabinet has also welcomed progress that is being achieved in the development and revitalisation of infrastructure for social development.
“In this regard, Cabinet is pleased by the opening of Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal. The hospital, which was opened by President Cyril Ramaphosa, will service the growing healthcare needs of the approximately 1.5 million residents of Inanda, Ntuzuma and Kwa-Mashu, and communities in adjacent areas” Ntshavheni said.
In addition, Cabinet has also welcomed the opening of the uMgungundlovu Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college (Msinga campus) in KwaZulu-Natal by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Dr Blade Nzimande.
The TVET college campus that was built at a cost of R143.5 million offers training in areas such as Farming Management and Mechatronics, amongst others.
“This campus is part of government’s commitment to ensure that there is at least one TVET college per district, and more than one in districts with a larger geographic spread. It is part of government’s continued and intentional investment to improve access to post-matric education, as part of equipping the nation for the future,” Cabinet said.
Cabinet reaffirms BRICS’ call to end Israel-Palestine war
Cabinet has further reaffirmed the call made by the BRICS nations for a comprehensive ceasefire and an end to the violence in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Ntshavheni said Cabinet has also called for an end to the “deplorable” killings of civilians and indiscriminate attacks that also target civilian infrastructure.
She said the Executive welcomed the convening by President Cyril Ramaphosa, as Chair of the BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa] group of nations, of an Extraordinary Joint Meeting on the Middle East Situation, which was also joined by the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres.
“As a prominent voice of the Global South, the outcome from the extraordinary meeting bolsters the international call for solidarity, tolerance and dialogue for the people of Palestine and Israel.
“The BRICS leaders unanimously called for accountability in the conflict, which claimed the lives of thousands of people and left many displaced,” she told the media.
The BRICS leaders expressed concerns about the latest escalation of violence since the 7 October 2023 attack and the grave deterioration of the situation in the region, in particular the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel.
Cabinet, Ntshavheni said, was hopeful that the exchange of hostages and the temporary pause in the hostilities for humanitarian assistance to reach Gaza would provide an opportunity to negotiate a comprehensive ceasefire and a more permanent solution to the plight of Palestinians and the security concerns of the people of Israel.
According to reports, more than 15 000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7, while the death toll in Israel stands at about 1 200.
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Video Courtesy of SABC.