SPEECH FOR OPENING OF NATIONAL MARITIME CONFERENCE BY MINISTER SN SIGCAU, MINISTER FOR PUBLIC ENTERPRISES: DELIVERED IN CAPE TOWN, THE CAPE SUN HOTEL
14 MARCH 1995
Honourable chairperson, delegates, ladies and gentlemen. First of all I want to thank the organisers of the conference for inviting me to give this opening address. The timing and the context of this maritime conference are very important to highlight. This National Maritime Conference comes exactly ten months after May 10, 1994. Since that date, the democratic process is in full motion, the Government realises that, South Africa is now an international player, and as such has to play by the rules of the International community. This has led to a change in strategy and approach over a number of policy issues so as to be in line with international trends and norms. This is an enormous task which calls for a lot of exposure and wider consultation over a number of issues.
This conference must also be seen in its historical context. A few years ago, the National Transport Policy Forum (NTPF), now National Transport Forum, was formed with a view to allow all South Africans to contribute meaningfully to the development of policy. The contribution of that forum to the development of a democratic South Africa, must be applauded.
Simultaneously, the contribution of Maritime experts in developing an integrated maritime policy must be equally applauded. Here specific reference is made to the "Report of the Committee of Inquiry into a Maritime Policy for the Republic of South Africa", submitted in August 31, 1993. From that report, very important subjects related to maritime policy were thoroughly presented, for instance:
The conditions and basic assumptions which were basis for these very important policy recommendations have since changed. I am therefore encouraged by progress registered thus far toward ensuring that our National Maritime Policy takes into account the Reconstruction and Development Programme, hence this conference today.
It is my understanding that the objectives of the maritime policy should be to optimize the development and utilization of national maritime assets for the benefit of the whole country. In this case, the government want to ensure that:
a. the maritime industry and its associated activities as well as the broad maritime community is promoted. We note broad, to include all stakeholders who were excluded in the past b. the country's maritime interests are protected c. the natural aesthetics, biotic diversity, ecosystem, and human life within the confines of the marine and coastal environments are protected d. the renewable and non-renewable marine resources are utilized to their optimum f. the maintenance of healthy maritime environment.
The Ministry of Public Enterprise wants to ensure that the country's commercial ports and harbours play their primary role of promoting growth of the economy and development of the country through import an export of cargo at competitive costs, speed and safety. The government restructuring programme of public assets will lay the foundation within which ports in South Africa are restructured and managed.
The maritime policy must be able to ensure that the primary goals and objectives of South Africa's ports are met and enhanced. These objectives are:
To ensure that these objectives are met, the government, as a facilitator, has to ensure that port operations and port management are correctly aligned. Most of you here today have been part of this debate. We are currently reviewing the following issues:
I must emphasize that CONSULTATION at all levels of government and society is the main feature of our review process. This is to ensure that the final policy adopted by government is accepted by all South Africans. I am sure most of you in the maritime industry and port management will agree with me that unless all stakeholders are involved in these discussions, we will have work places characterized by instabilities.
We also want to exercise caution in announcing policy options. While discussions and consultations are proceeding, we want to avoid preempting those discussion with comments that may lead to further complications.
I also want to draw the attention of this conference to the need to develop new planning appraoches which are in line with our Reconstruction and Development Programme. In this case, we emphasize the need for Integrated Development Planning and an inclusive approach. Additionally, integrated development planning will ensure that the planning and development of public infrastructure is no longer done in isolation, but takes into account the entire cargo logistic chain, cargo distribution systems, and the intermodal nature of cargo flow (rail, road, air and sea).
The Ministry of Public Enterprise, in conjunction with other government departments are currently looking at the restructuring of public enterprises. This process is characterized by wide consultation. The policy outcome will have a major impact on our maritime policy and related business. It is not my intention today to preempt the nature and direction of those discussions.
Challenges Ahead
The Maritime community, industry, and related activities are faced with big challenges today. I want to end my opening remarks by highlighting some of these challenges. The biggest, and yet interesting challenge is to contextualize maritime policy within the goals and objective of the Reconstruction and Development Programme. This requires this conference to seek innovative ways of ensuring that maritime policy development adheres to the RDP's basic principles, which are to ensure that:
- An integrated and sustainable programme is advanced - Process is people-driven, with maximum participation at all levels - Policy development and management promotes peace and security - Maritime industry links reconstruction and development - National Maritime Policy development and management breaks the control by the minority and privileged to include a widest spectrum of South Africans, hence democratization of South Africa.
The second challenge to the conference is to find a balance between national and regional (Southern African context) growth and development. New approaches must be sought to enhance our interaction with the Southern African Maritime fraternity, which must differ fundamentally with past partenalistic approaches of the Apartheid era. A regional approach is pivotal in order to harmonize policy and development within Eastern and Southern African maritime fraternity.
Finally, this conference must also find creative ways of ensuring that those who have been excluded historically, blacks and women in particular are brought to the forefront as soon as possible. Here I am not talking of Tokenism, but am talking of people who after undergoing intensive training programmes shall be ready to take over positions of responsibility.
Lastly, the conference must find creative ways of ensuring that restructuring, policy development, and the implementation of programmes within the new policy framework does not put our competitors in the maritime industry at a competitive advantage. Offers like the one made by the Mayor of Rotterdam when he visited South Africa recently, about funding areas of co-operation with Rotterdam, must not be let to go by. It is co-operation with such international giants in the maritime industry that will make us grow. May your deliberation be fruitful.