Young graduates help steer Sapo’s efficiency drive

ALAN PEAT THE DRIVE at SA Port Operations (Sapo) to streamline efficiency and reduce its costs is being steered by three company employees who are all cum laude graduates in maritime studies from Belgium’s University of Antwerp. Spearheading the R21-million skills upgrade programme, according to Sapo CEO Tau Morwe are Brenda Maqgwaka, Wellman Memani and Mthobisi Zondi. “Over the next three years,” he told FTW, “Sapo’s human resource development will be a key focus area, including the completion of refining the container strategy, business model and port-rail integration.” Maqgwaka has just moved from being HR manager to her current position – where she is responsible for ports and rail interface nationally. “I am focused on achieving the needed integration between Spoornet and Sapo on the road to rail integration,” she said. Memani has moved from operations manager of waterside containers in Port Elizabeth to the counterpart position in Durban, and Zondi – previously chief of operations – is now the national capacity planning manager in the container sector.