The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) is working with Transnet and the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, eThekwini municipality, and Eskom to stabilise operations at the Port of Durban following the deadly floods that swept the city this week.
The DPE said in a ministerial statement on Wednesday afternoon that Transnet had gradually resumed operations at the Port of Durban as from 6am in the morning and was conducting ongoing risk assessments to ensure the safety of employees and infrastructure. Port operations were suspended on Tuesday night as a precautionary measure.
“Priority interventions, in collaboration with the eThekwini Municipality and Transport Authority, include repairing Bayhead Road - the main access road to the container terminals at the port and Island View - and investigating alternative access roads into the port while Bayhead Road is being repaired,” the DPE said.
“There was a wash-away of a section of Bayhead Road at the outfall of the Umhlathuzana canal into the harbour. Cargo that will be prioritised for evacuation from the port today includes food, medical supplies and petroleum products. Shipping, which was suspended as a result of extensive debris caused by the adverse weather, is expected to resume once safety has been established for marine craft and vessel navigation,” the DPE said.
Transnet National Ports Authority, using its helicopters, managed to rescue 80 people trapped in various flooded areas around the city yesterday.
“There has been no damage to the pipelines infrastructure, and Transnet Pipelines will continue to supply fuel that is already in the system into the inland market,” the department said.
“Eskom is assisting the municipality to repair damaged infrastructure, and electricity was restored overnight to the Island View precinct. Safety checks are being conducted before operations by customers can resume as some customers’ facilities were damaged by the flooding,” the DPE said.
Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha also earlier announced that it would not be implementing load-shedding in the eThekwini Municipality as it assisted the city with the repair and mop-up operation.
“Transnet Freight Rail is carrying out ongoing assessments on the rail network in Durban and surrounds to determine the extent of damage before any train services into and out of the port can resume. The North Coast, South Coast and mainline from Durban to Pietermaritzburg remain closed,” the DPE said.
Operations in Richards Bay port have not been suspended, but the terminals are operating less efficiently, with challenges experienced in handling wet cargo.
“Transnet continues to work with all stakeholders to ensure business continuity. The minister of public enterprises remains in close contact with Transnet management and the Board, receiving timeous updates on the status of operations, and providing the necessary support to ensure full operations can resume as soon as it has been declared safe to do so,” the DPE said.
