SAKI MACOZOMA, m.d. of Transnet, has indicated his support for the proposed new industrial harbour at Coega in the Eastern Cape. Macozoma said he had personally intervened to speed up Portnet's own environmental studies into the feasibility of the new port, and had appointed consultants to do a R3 million study. A meeting with the city planners and other relevant participants will be held in Bisho during December, which will also look at the fierce competition that has arisen between East London and Port Elizabeth over the question of port development for the Eastern Cape.
We have to do what is good for the province, he is reported as saying. Macozoma announced that Transnet hoped to make a decision on Coega by April 1997.
It was also announced that Finance Minister Trevor Manuel had agreed that R5 million from the sale of Telkom would be invested in the new port.
Meanwhile the port development project leader, Siyabonga Gama, has said that if the environmental study comes up with a negative report for Coega, Portnet will look to other Eastern Cape sites for a new industrial harbour. The proposals have run into strong condemnation from the Wildlife Society which says that the government is giving unqualified encouragement without waiting for any environmental studies to be completed.
