FOR the past decade, City of uMhlathuze Mayor Elphas Mbatha has been fighting for a fully functional container terminal to be established at the Port of Richards Bay.
And on Monday, Mbatha did not mince his words on the subject when he directly addressed Transnet Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tau Morwe at a networking forum gathering held in Richards Bay
‘It is local government’s task to provide local infrastructure and services, but our biggest challenge has been supporting our local industries with their biggest issue – their need for a container facility in Richards Bay,’ said Mbatha.
‘In April our President (Jacob Zuma) and Premier (Senzo Mchunu) once again heard the outcry from business leaders on facing the excessive costs of having to transport their goods by road to Durban to get shipped out of South Africa.
‘Both the President and Premier stated there was no reason why our port should not be allowed a terminal.
‘We cannot promote our local businesses and unlock their full potential without a fully functional container facility,’ Mbatha said.
Morwe, in reply, explained that Transnet has to create capacity for each of its ‘flagships’.
‘We can’t have the same facilities at every port.
‘Vessels from America will go to Cape Town first and vessels from the East have to choose between Durban and Richards Bay.
‘We need a strong port system to accommodate all incoming vessels.’
He did, however, say that Transnet could relocate crane surplus to Richards Bay to handle containers.
The use of mobile cranes has also previously been mentioned as a viable solution for the local harbour.
