Not allowing a good crisis to go to waste, Transnet has put in place several interventions that have impacted positively on the state-owned transport and logistics company.
Speaking during a webinar hosted by the Southern African Transport Conference (SATC) earlier this month, Transnet chief executive Portia Derby said one of the benefits of the pandemic was that it had added impetus to Transnet’s move to digital documentation.
Commenting on trade-related issues, she said the greatest challenge the pandemic posed for Transnet, and South Africa, was that it had dampened the United States economy. “An expected slump in US consumption is anticipated to lead to depressions in Asian economies, and so to less demand for the raw materials that make up a large part of South Africa’s exports to Asia.
“When Transnet realised earlier this year that Covid-19 was going to negatively
affect global markets, it consulted with contacts in Hong Kong and quickly established a
Covid-19 command centre to help it weather the storm.” Derby said the command centre had
proved so useful that Transnet wanted to make it permanent.
