The pile-up of ships outside South African ports is a costly reminder of the risks associated with mismanagement and corruption at a State-owned monopoly. Some vessels have been left at anchorage for more than two weeks, leading to the imposition of congestion charges and various other direct and indirect costs, which will ultimately be passed on to the consumer. Given the lack of equipment and maintenance, this congestion is set to remain an unhappy feature of doing business in South Africa for some time yet.