TPT sidesteps questions about new CEO and Gama suspension

Whether or not the plethora of (mostly) unwelcome Transnet publicity is impacting on business confidence in Transnet Port Terminals was clearly not down for discussion when the company hierarchy met with the Western Cape business sector last week. Nor was the appointment, many say long overdue, of a new Transnet group CEO following the February departure of Maria Ramos to head up the Absa banking group. Fielding questions after what has become a customary annual business-to-business presentation, Solly Letsoalo, TPT’s chief operating officer, dismissed FTW’s two-part question relating to the aforementioned issues, suggesting this was not the correct forum and that a new group CEO appointment ‘is’ a matter for the Transnet board. Whereupon FTW posed the same question to Albert Schuitmaker, chief executive of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which co-hosts the annual TPT presentation, and to Fred Jacobs, Safmarine’s director of corporate affairs. Schuitmaker says: “I don’t think the lack of a CEO – other than a bit of emotional disruption – has had a major impact at this point in time. “Transnet obviously wants a permanent CEO in place as soon as possible but it must be the right person with the right credentials and if it is going to take a bit longer, so be it.” On the glare of publicity over the suspension of Transnet Freight Rail chief executive, Siyabonga Gama over alleged project irregularities, and his declared intention of seeking reinstatement via the courts, Schuitmaker says: “It’s not good for the promotion of the country but things need to be investigated for proper process to take place.” Jacobs responded: “The supplier/customer relationship with the Transnet business units remains on an even keel, with regular interaction on both operational and strategic levels. Therefore, from a Safmarine/ Maersk perspective, we have not felt any impact. “We remain confident that the commitments vis-a-vis investment in infrastructure are on track and that particularly TPT is serious about the way forward.”