State-owned Transnet Port Terminals' leadership in the Western Cape met with deciduous fruit industry organisations, including Berries SA, Hortgro and the National Agricultural Marketing Council, on October 11 to discuss contingency plans for the export of deciduous fruit from the Port of Cape Town given the current industrial action across Transnet's operations.
"The deciduous fruit season is expected to fully start at the end of October. Transnet is working closely with industry to ensure that the perishable products, along with other cargo with a limited shelf-life, are prioritised at the ports. A joint integrated planning team with industry will also be established to mitigate any further delays," the port agency says.
Transnet continues to work closely with the shipping lines and industry broadly to manage the current situation and remains fully committed to moving customers’ cargo as efficiently as possible, it adds.
Many Transnet employees have downed tools amid a wage dispute with Transnet.
The negotiating parties will resume wage talks under the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration on Wednesday, October 12, Transnet says.