A buoyant mood

When Kevin Mayhew visited Durban earlier this month,
he found a city transformed. IN POLITICS it might be a week, but for the Durban transport, freight, shipping and their support service industries – which apparently employ one in every four people in the city – it’s a case of “what a difference a year makes”. In 2004 the impact of the strengthened rand trickled through finally and took its toll on most. The government was tightening legislation regarding importation of used vehicles, rampant China had unfavourably skewed the price of new containers, and even refurbished boxes were hard to come by as owners were keeping them in service longer before renewal. Well, Africa’s busiest port is back on a high as the tide of attitude has turned. No stronger evidence is needed than the amount of new warehousing space that has been established at a cost of tens of millions of rands. The municipality has played its part with improved access to the Jacobs and Mobeni areas – where at least two new major warehouse facilities are sited. The first for Corsair Logistics and the other for Sebenza Forwarding and Shipping Consultancy, which is still to be completed. Then there is the new facility Southway Freight in the shadow of SAB/Miller in Prospecton while the long established Bidfreight Port Services has spent R23m on warehousing upgrades. Access Warehousing just keeps on growing along Edwin Swales Drive. On the air freight side, the standard pre-election rumblings about the imminent go-ahead for the new airport are flying again. Minister of Public Enterprises, Alec Irwin, has given it a new twist by contradicting the KZN Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mike Mabuyakhulu. Erwin says the city can carry both the new airport and its existing Durban International Airport and Mabuyakhulu says only one is necessary. As a born, bred, educated and long time resident of Durban, I say put this old chestnut to bed now – build it or please can we have a La Mercy killing of the whole three decade old idea.