Mbalula praises investment at South African ports
Mbalula was speaking last week at a maritime consultation session with key industry stakeholders in Durban
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has hailed ongoing investment at the country’s sea ports as a welcome boost to the economy.
Mbalula was speaking last week at a maritime consultation session with key industry stakeholders in Durban where he unveiled multi-million rand investments at the ports, including Richards Bay.
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He announced Hillside Aluminium Proprietary Limited would be renewing existing leases in the Port of Richards Bay for a bulk storage silo facility, pitch tanks terminal, stockyard facility and conveyor belt system effluent pipeline facility.
‘Hillside stands at the apex of South Africa’s aluminium industry and is, therefore, one of the major contributors to the country’s economy.
‘Their investment further supports the competitive existence of a downstream aluminium industry directly employing approximately 11 600 people permanently, while contributing to the indirect formal employment of 28 500 people,’ said Mbalula.
He said the direct contributions include revenue of R338-million per annum to Transnet and the municipality, local procurement spend of R2-billion per annum, and contribution to the tax base of R1.1-billion per annum.
These and other investments are expected to improve the competitiveness of the country’s ports and grow the sector contribution to economic reconstruction and recovery.
Investments, Mbalula says, should also augment the education and skills development, grant bursaries and learnerships to local communities.
