Dissatisfied terminal users plan ‘boycott’

Dissatisfaction with the multi-purpose terminal (MPT) at the Port of Durban has reached such a critical level that a call has been made for a joint action plan by terminal users, according to Carl Webb, MD of Project Logistics Management and a member of the Road Freight Association (RFA) abnormal load team. “There are so many of us that are just fed up with the management attitude at MPT that we have to take a unified stand to try to get things rectified,” he told FTW. The plan, he added, was for a boycott of MPT. “We’re going to make bookings for our vehicles,” Webb added, “but our supervisors will no longer attend the loading process. “This will mean that Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) staff will have to load the vehicle.” He also noted that any problems in the loading procedure would then be in the terminal’s court. “Part of the Road Traffic Act (RTA) says that the person loading the vehicle takes responsibility for that load fulfilling all the regulations,” said Webb. “We’ll see what effect that has on the terminal management’s attitudes – its total disregard for the needs of port users.”