Urgent action needed to right the ship at ports authority

It is either a case of the tail wagging the dog, or there is a dearth of leadership at the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) — or, as some analysts suggest, it is probably both.

TNPA has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent weeks, largely centred on what appears to be a power struggle between union leaders and the bosses at Transnet.

We recently reported on the intimidation and death threats allegedly levelled at some senior TNPA staff for refusing to sign off on some contracts and authorise payments they did not deem necessary.

TNPA chief executive Pepi Silinga is also currently on extended leave while allegations of corruption against him are investigated.

Silinga has complained about the national leadership of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) trying to pressure the state entity’s executives to award a tender to a company from which the union would financially benefit.

In recent months, Satawu has led the charge to have Silinga removed from the state entity, accusing him of corruption, favouritism and nepotism.

The relationship is so fraught that in a recording of another meeting between Transnet management and labour on September 19, Satawu’s Sihle Nguse, who is also a City of Joburg Ward 60 councillor, is heard saying the union would approach public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan to fire Silinga and group chief executive Portia Derby.

Ten days later, Derby quit.

The union has defended its actions, saying it was rooting out corruption at the parastatal and that the allegations were untrue.

The power struggle benefits only those who are hell-bent on creating instability for nefarious reasons, and it is ultimately the public that loses out.

An effective and efficient port system ensures the smooth running of imports and exports that ultimately benefits the economy of the country.

All that the fighting does is it destabilises the entire value chain and ultimately wreaks havoc with local businesses and jobs.

Our hope is for a speedy, decisive intervention at TNPA to get things running smoothly again.

HeraldLIVE