Transnet is failing in its duty to educate communities in close proximity to the ports about job opportunities in the maritime sector.
That’s the view of Youth Chamber of Shipping in Africa (YCSA) founding director, Nomfundo Mkhize, who told FTW that there was scant information about the opportunities and skills training that was available.
“Local skills don’t match the opportunities in areas such as Richards Bay, where the largest coal terminal in Africa can be found, or Durban, where the largest shipping terminal in the country is situated.
“I’m from Richards Bay and people aren’t aware that there is a coal terminal there or what it does; nor do they know much about the industrial development zone which is close by,” said YCSA founding director Nomcebo Sithole.
She said because of this skills mismatch, KwaZulu Natal remained one of the hotspots of unemployment in the country despite all the opportunities presented in the province by the maritime and shipping industry and its entire value chain.
“It goes back to government,” she said. “They have only now introduced maritime as a subject at school.”
