TPT dismisses idea of global participation in SA terminals

The thought of future international involvement in South Africa’s terminals does not sit well with Transnet Port Terminals acting CEO Karl Socikwa. Following his assurance to a Cape Town business-to-business audience last week that TPT was ever-willing to engage with the private sector over terminal participation, he dismissed out of hand any prospect of an international operator such as DP World or APM Terminals taking over the running of SA container terminals. “We are positioning our business to be better than another terminal operators so it’s not just because it’s a DP World or an APM Terminals…” Socikwa confesses he “finds difficulty with the word parastatal” in regard to Transnet, making the point this is a wholly-structured, self-funded organisation receiving no financial assistance or subsidies from government. The message, effectively, is that TPT is focused and has its eye on the ball with regard to turning in, and maintaining, a world class performance which would not leave South Africa “wanting”. TPT does however concede that overall efficiencies are not meeting world class standards but believes there has been some improvement