The Cape Town Container Terminal is officially regarded as the least-efficient in the world, according to the latest World bank report. However, it remains a vital link in the international shipping world, and so occasionally, the South African government attempts to improve its function. Recent developments, including a truck booking system and a lucrative private contract, aim to patch the faulty and struggling facility.

Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) has rolled out a new truck booking system aimed at streamlining traffic at the CTCT, to deal with the chronic congestion issues facing the road transit terminal. From this month, trucks will now only be permitted entry within 30 minutes of their scheduled slots, with booking details verified at the gates. However, critics argue that the system has exacerbated, rather than alleviated, congestion.

The South African Transporters Alliance (SATA), have expressed frustration with present conditions. SATA chair Derick Ongansie says the slapdash implementation of the booking system has created a "free-for-all" atmosphere, leading to absurd delays that are driving longstanding operators out of business.

A recorded meeting with TPT executives last October demonstrated the severity of the problem - transporters reported that up to 90 trucks will often crowd the port precinct, meaning matching trucks with their allocated slots has become a grinding nightmare.

Despite the reality fo the situation, TPT maintains that their truck booking systems are on a global standard designed to manage traffic flows efficiently. The SOE has pledged to keep meeting with transporters to “address concerns”.

And it’s not only general container freight - the fruit export sector has secured a private contract to build refrigeration container (“reefer”) handling capacity at the port. The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism, alongside industry bodies like the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) and Hortgro, has funded the installation of two additional generators, each equipped with 60 reefer container plug points.

So far this is the only tangible gain from engagement between the local DA government and the national transport authorities. The project aims to increase the terminal’s capacity enough to handle the peak deciduous fruit export season without suffering the produce losses that have become standard due to delays.

By adding a separate reefer stack for high-wind conditions, the project seeks to mitigate weather-related disruptions and facilitate the movement of perishable goods. Agbiz CEO Theo Boshoff lauded the partnership as a model for future initiatives, emphasizing the importance of logistics in maintaining the competitiveness of South Africa’s agricultural exports.

Provincial Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development, and Tourism Dr. Ivan Meyer has set an ambitious target of tripling the region’s exports by 2035. Meyer sees initiatives like the generator project as critical steps toward achieving this goal, particularly in reducing risks associated with delays in the export of perishable cargo.

TPT’s Western Cape managing executive, Oscar Borchards, made the usual statement about the SOE’s commitment to continual improvements, and how collaboration is a cornerstone of progress. But during the October meeting, one operator questioned the value of engaging with the SOE at all, given that they invariably refuse to implement necessary changes.

While the generator project demonstrates some collaborative capacity, the ongoing issues with the truck booking system continues to undermine function. Critics like Ongansie contend that TPT’s refusal to acknowledge flaws in its Navis system has compounded inefficiencies.

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