South Africa’s inadequate rail and ports systems are finally getting the attention it deserves. But why did it take so long?  

Barely a week goes by these days without a senior politician making reference to our logistics crisis. These remarks are long overdue, and sadly inevitable. It was always the case that a critical mass of self-inflicted economic injury would necessitate intervention. It would seem this tipping point has been reached.

Trade, industry and competition minister Ebrahim Patel is the latest Cabinet member to bemoan the rail and ports challenges. Commenting at a media briefing just days before a major business conference, he rightly pointed out that the delay in resolving the logistics crisis is curtailing efforts to support black industrialists. It is tempting to commend the Minister for stating the obvious, but his words are cold comfort for victims of years of government inaction in the logistics sector. 

The Minister should not waste any more time decrying the continued failings of a government that next month celebrates 30 years of democracy, but which still battles to get commuters to work and goods to market. The Minister should rather use his sound bites to detail his plans to  fix the mess preventing the broad themes of his portfolio – trade, industry and competition. As he rightly pointed out in a media briefing, South Africa’s developmental priorities can only be adequately addressed with an efficient logistics sector able to underpin economic growth.     

“In the case of SA, our industrial development was [determined] by the location of minerals, so we have the biggest industrial concentration in the province of Gauteng. 

“Therefore transport logistics is vital to be able to bring in components that are required for our industrialisation and to send products to other parts of the country and the world.”

Patel also made reassuring comments about the need to repair damage to state-owned enterprises caused by state capture. He said the rebuilding process had already begun and involved public’-private partnerships.  

No amount of blame-shifting can obscure the fact that Patel’s speech could have been written ten years ago, or possibly more. Talk doesn’t build an economy; we need action to underpin the repetitive sloganeering that threatens to become a national trademark. 

Jacques Moolman
President of the Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry