I refer to the article "Durban stands to lose auto industry" (FTW February 15, 2002). What is Spoornet up to this time? There have been no reports of congestion involving motor vehicles or maize at the port of Durban - in fact the car terminal is probably the most efficient and productive terminal in the port and it is a pleasure to watch how quickly car carrier vessels are turned round. So much so that the master of one ship was heard to complain to the agent recently that his few hours in port left no time to go out on the town! As for maize imports and exports, firstly East London is geared for export only (through the grain elevator complex) and cannot handle imports efficiently. Secondly there is, again, no congestion at Durban at any of the grain terminals - in fact quite the contrary at present. Perhaps Spoornet would be better off attending to the alarming shortage of locomotive stock at City Deep, which saw them cancelling 7 or 8 container trains bound for Durban last week and adding to the problems at the Durban container terminal, instead of upgrading under-utilised railway lines. Terry Hutson, Durban
