As we restructure and redevelop our economy, I wish to make a submission to media houses for news diary. 

Today I have two important engagements.

Firstly, I am interacting with Transnet Team under the leadership of Mr Moshe Motlohi, senior officials from the department and our entities to assess progress regarding the work of the Port of Durban Decongestion Task Team. It is comprised of Workstreams which meet weekly and these include the following:-

Ø  Congenstion Workstream:  This stream is focused on addressing systematic root causes of congestion and developing the systems and infrastructure to address these. 

Ø  PoD TPT Operational Performance Improvement Workstream:  This workstream focusses on operational, day-to-day decongestion initiatives at the Durban Container Terminal targeting Human Resources, Equipment & Operations. Transnet’s new container incentive scheme has been developed and approved to address employee morale. New straddle carriers have been procured and the last batch of straddle carriers will be delivered by the end of July 2020.

Ø  Identification of State Owned Land Parcels Workstream: This workstream is responsible for the identification of land that can be used in the short term for services and operations needed for decongestion. The Decongestion Task Team has since received support and commitment from the incoming Transnet Group Chief Executive to use identified Land. This workstream has since served its purpose and its next phase has been incorporated into Workstream 6.

Ø  Rail Short Term Work Stream: This stream is focussed on alleviating congestion by deploying wagons to move cargo from road to rail, with specific focus on the short distances.

Ø  Port Truck Association Accreditation Workstream: This stream will ensure that the trucking fraternity is made aware of the Rules of the Port and enforce accreditation.

Ø  Congestion Response and Enforcement Workstream: This is focused on developing a holistic approach for decongesting the Port and major feeding Arterial Roads by creating additional capacity for future traffic and enforcing compliance with permit and traffic rules. eThekwini Metro Police remains on high alert and approval has been granted for them to operate until 23h00 daily at strategic Bayhead intersections.

Ø  Ongoing other Medium to Long Term Initiatives: It is focused on creating future, rail and port capacity, as well as ancillary trucking operational facilities in order to grow market share and prevent traffic congestion. A process has been initiated with the City to establish and implement an MoA for a second road access to the port. The signing of this MoA is being prioritized.

Ø  Root Cause Analysis through 6 Sigma DMAIC: It provides problem-solving support to the various Workstreams through Lean Six Sigma Methodologies.

Ø  Establish Joint Stakeholder Engagement Forum Workstream: It provides support to all workstreams for creation of effective channels to reach impacted stakeholders. Progress has been made in developing PR & Media and Crisis Communication plans around congestion in the port.

Secondly, we will be repacking and strengthening our business case for the establishment of a Clothing and Textile SEZ at eThukela district. This will not only benefit the uThukela district but the entire N3 and N2 corridors in order to form a Textile Belt. 

The Textile Belt will integrate all projects around N3 and N2 corridors and share existing resources. The corridor will start from Newcastle and link Ladysmith, Mooi River, Pietermaritzburg, Hammersdale, Durban, Dube Trade Port, Isithebe up to Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) including the ports.

The most pertinent outcome envisaged by establishing a clothing and textile SEZ in KwaZulu-Natal is the expansion of the manufacturing sector, beneficiation, localization and the creation of economic industrial hubs to regionally diversify the national industrial base.

Our business case represents our determination to revitalize the clothing and textile sector. We are grateful of the support from the national government and the Department of Trade and Industry in particular.

Issued by The KZN MEC for Economic Development, Tourism And Environmental Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube