Coega: Our port for all reasons

SO the long struggle to secure an aluminium smelter for Coega drags on as the news comes that Canadian group Alcan is to make yet another feasibility study before deciding whether or not to get involved. As a result, the waiting continues, for how long it is difficult to say.

But we’re now accustomed to waits. And we have had other disappointments regarding hopes of securing an aluminium smelter. These should not obscure the current state of the development of that port and the fact that even without the smelter it can deliver much to greater Port Elizabeth and the Eastern Cape in general.

Sure, a R13-billion smelter would be a boon. But the massive port development carries some fine promises of its own, not least in the job-creation potential of developing its infrastructure – projects which are well under way and which will open our prime tourism area, the yachting harbour and the beachfront, to recreational tourism projects – not least in the area now occupied by the eyesore of a tank farm at Humewood.

The deep-water port and its railhead will free the city centre of large-scale traffic to and from the interior.

There will, of course, be huge interest in the progress report on the smelter project . And obviously the Alcan project would be the first prize. But there should not be over-despondency if it does not come.

What we are creating is a major facility for this region and the hinterland which will create employment, free up the metro’s central area for tourism and exploitation of its architectural heritage, and facilitate maximum use of the new port and its industrial area for the benefit of the Eastern Cape at large.

Coega does not depend on that smelter alone. As we said, if it comes it will be a huge bonus. But it is certainly opening a much-needed and sophisticated port on a previously neglected section of the South African coast.

We have much to hope for, smelter or no smelter.

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Well done Bafana. Go Bokke go!

SPORT-loving South Africans, particularly football fans, could hardly be faulted for being highly satisfied with Bafana Bafana’s sterling performance against Nigeria at Soccer City on Wednesday night.

The 2-1 win over the Eagles, which ensured that we retain the Nelson Mandela Cup for another year, was absolutely vital for South Africa in many ways, the least of which has been the need to put an end to Nigerian soccer’s dominance over us.

As most South African soccer followers will readily acknowledge, Nigeria has – until Wednesday evening – been the only African nation to maintain dominance over us both in male and female professional football.

That has thankfully ended after our soccer team’s slick performance.

However, the match was also another important event in our preparation for the Soccer World Cup 2010, and Madiba’s broad smile broadcast all over the continent on Wednesday evening said it all.

Plus we really needed to thrash Nigeria to lift our spirits after the disappointment of the Springboks’ most unexpected loss to Ireland last week.

As with Bafana Bafana, we truly admire our Springbok team and will be rooting for it all the way tomorrow, hoping they will at last give England a good beating at Twickenham – no matter what silly backroom politics there may be.

So it’s a case of: Viva Bafana Bafana and go Bokke go!