Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is repositioning South Africa’s Western Region to enhance trade efficiency by investing R16.1 billion in infrastructure development at the ports of Mossel Bay, Saldanha Bay and Cape Town.
The logistics utility announced in a statement on Friday that the Western Region’s capital investment programme had an allocation of R2.2bn that would be invested in the Port of Mossel Bay, R8.4bn in Saldanha Bay, and R5.5bn in Cape Town over a seven-year period.
“Our capital investment plan demonstrates our commitment to the operationalisation of our ‘Reimagined TNPA’ operating model that was launched in 2021. We are intentional about prioritising capital projects that will create future capacity whilst not neglecting the immediate needs required to enhance port efficiencies,” TNPA managing executive for the Western Region, Advocate Phyllis Difeto said.
The TNPA Reimagined Operating Model places emphasis on accelerating the execution of capital projects, on time and within budget.
During the current financial year, 2022/23, TNPA’s capital investment programme totals R452 million in these Western Region ports.
At the Port of Mossel Bay, key capital projects include the slipway facility refurbishment and Quay 3 sheet pilling. These projects form part of the port’s R10.2m port infrastructure development plan for 2022/23. Projects spread across the seven-year period include the deepening of the port and Quay 4 as well as breakwater extension.
The implementation of capital projects planned for the Port of Saldanha for 2022/23 is already under way, and includes the acquisition of a tugboat, installation of perimeter fencing, and provision of bulk power. These will comprise capital expenditure of R182m for the port in 2022/23.
The broader seven-year programme includes the extension of Berth 205, berth construction of the ore expansion phase 2, as well as the refurbishment of the main breakwater and causeway rock revetment.
In the current financial year 2022/23 the Port of Cape Town will see the delivery of a robust R260m capital programme, comprising the procurement of a helicopter and the replacement of two tugboats. Phase 2 of the Cape Town Container Terminal expansion and the acquisition of ten drydock cranes form part of the port’s seven-year programme.
Difeto said that she was confident that the realisation of the port infrastructure and superstructure development plans would translate into improved port efficiencies, which was one of the major priorities for the Western Region ports.
“As we sharpen our focus on capital investment deliverables, we acknowledge the historical under-expenditure. It is for this reason that we have adopted a fresh approach to project execution, an approach that ensures all hands on deck, from the project sponsors, engineers and support teams through to participation in Capex war rooms,” TNPA general manager: infrastructure, Thecla Mneney said.
She added that TNPA was continuously creating an enabling and performance-driven environment to unlock bottlenecks and accelerate the execution of strategic projects. She said this was being achieved through the establishment of regional and national capital investment war rooms designed to enable the project teams.
