Port and rail upgrades get presidential priority

Mbeki gets serious about logistics upgrades ED RICHARDSON PRESIDENT THABO Mbeki has committed government to “continue to work to reduce the cost of doing business in our country”. Speaking at the opening of Parliament last week, Mbeki said many of the cost savings would be achieved through improving the logistics support offered by Transnet. This would include speeding up the process of the “restructuring of our ports to bring in new investment and lower the costs of moving imports and exports”. Increased capacity was already in the pipe-line. “The Coega Industrial Development Zone is already open and the first ship will be able to dock at the new Coega/Ngqura port by September next year. “Spoornet will increase its freight capacity by 30% over the next five years, while the Rail Commuter Corporation is investing R220 million this financial year to improve commuter transport and safety. “National Treasury is in the final stages of registering the King Shaka International Airport and freight terminal as a Public-Private Partnership. Construction will start after agreement has been reached with the Airports Company over land usage in the ongoing negotiations,” he said.