If we don’t redefine the role of the port of Durban, we will be sidelined.
People like Prof Jan Havenga of Stellenbosch University have warned the government – and the rest of South African society – for the last 15 years: if we don’t wake up, then one day we’ll find the world has passed us by and the rest of Africa has leap-frogged us in global importance.
And that’s a warning we need to heed now, even as our own president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is puffing out his chest because the troubles in the Middle East will see much more shipping route around South Africa.
Never mind that Ramaphosa’s optimism ignores the reality that few of those oil, bulk and container carriers will actually pull into our ports for restocking or refuelling.
The real problem, as Havenga stated, is that SA is already being pushed off the stage as a gateway to the rest of the African continent.
He said east-west trade flows on the continent are already replacing the traditional north-south corridor.
“Dar es Salaam is expanding at a pace, while the Nacala-Lobito and Maputo-Walvis Bay corridors are already preferred routes. South Africa predicted these shifts 15 years ago. Both South Africa and Durban largely stood by as it materialised. This put South Africa and Durban at risk.”
If we don’t redefine the role of the port of Durban – meaning significantly upgrade it for a start – we will be sidelined.
If that sounds extreme, look at what has already happened in aviation. Whereas South Africa used to be the epicentre of commercial flying in Africa, our lunch has been gobbled up by Ethiopia, Kenya and, latterly, by Rwanda, which have hubs much closer to the global action.
Havenga’s warning must be heeded: if we lose our trade and logistics strength, it won’t be long before South Africa becomes an also-ran in the African economy.
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