2023 has been a difficult year for South Africans. Besides being the worst-ever year yet for growth-sapping and jobs-destroying loadshedding, the years of corruption and mismanagement at Transnet are now being felt not only in the collapse of the rail service on key corridors, but in a port system that is simply ill-equipped to do its crucial job. No doubt, these two major drags on confidence and investment will not miraculously disappear just after midnight on January 1, 2024.