Service levels in the ports of Durban and Richards Bay have improved slightly since the start of yesterday’s working shifts, Transnet has said in a statement.
This after the country begins with mop-up operations after the widespread devastation caused by looters and insurrectionists acting on behalf of an ANC faction loyal to Jacob Zuma.
The Transnet statement says that port and terminal operations are slowly beginning to normalise as the number of employees reporting for shifts starts to increase following restoration of public transport in parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
The Port of Richards Bay has managed to clear all shipping backlogs, while terminal operations at the Port of Durban continue to improve.
Marine service operations to service vessels have been available throughout this period.
The Transnet Pipeline network remains operational. However, fuel and food shortages, as well as remaining road closures in the Durban port vicinity, continue to constrain the rest of the supply chain as trucks cannot get into and out of the port, resulting in backlogs.
In Richards Bay, where trucks handle dry bulk commodities, truck movements are under way.
Although no security incidents have been reported in the last 24 hours, Transnet remains on high alert and additional security and protection of critical infrastructure remains in place.
On the rail side, work is under way to restart the suspended Natcor line.
However, this has been delayed by the need to clear remnants of the looting activities strewn along the railway.
The line is being tested to ensure it is safe.
Transnet is continuing to monitor the situation and will resume rail services on this critical line as soon as it is safe to do so. It is working on solutions to mitigate the current challenges, and to ensure that once all blockages in the supply chain have been cleared, goods can be delivered into and out of the country.
A 24-hour Nerve Centre hotline remains operational to monitor and respond to security-related incidents.
Transnet is working closely with law enforcement agencies, including members of the South African National Defence Force, to safeguard the infrastructure.
Its operations in the rest of the country continue to operate normally, the statement concludes.
