With predictions of a
turbulent economy ahead,
operations at the Port of Cape
Town will have to be “super
efficient” to meet budgets,
according to port manager
Sipho Nzuza.
Speaking to exporters
during a recent visit to the
port he said improving
operations was a given
in light of ongoing global
economic pressure.
“In November we opened
our operations centre and we
can already see the impact
this is having as operations
are now being monitored very
carefully. We are improving
our efficiences and managing
the port’s operations across
the board,” he said. “At
the same time we are also
holding our operators to the
terminal targets that have
been set.”
He said the port had had a
tough 2015 and was forced to
pull out all the stops to meet
its budgets. In the case of
breakbulk this could not be
achieved.
“And 2016 is not going
to be easier. If one looks at
2012, when we launched our
Market Demand Strategy,
we were estimating and
planning for growth of
around 5%. This year it is
speculated it will only be
about 1.5% and so there is
no denying that times are
tough.”
He said cost cutting
was also a priority across
Transnet as a whole. “We
are looking at spending and
where we can, and should
be, cutting. This, however,
does not mean that we
are not continuing with
our plans to invest in our
infrastructure.”
Having been identified
through Operation Phakisa
as a priority for ship
repair, Nzuza said the
port – with a budget of
around R512 million for its
expansion plans – would
see significant investments
in this regard over the next
few years.
CAPTION
Sipho Nzuza (left), Cape Town port manager, addressing exporters recently.
