COMMENTS BY JEFF RADEBE, MINISTER FOR PUBLIC ENTERPRISES, ON THE OCCASION OF THE UNVEILING OF THE CONTAINER X-RAY SCANNER
Port of Durban, 15 July 1999
The acquisition of the low energy X Ray system by Transnet for the Port of Durban is a major advance in our sustained fight against corruption, smuggling of contraband, and our attempts to enhance revenue collection. The Port of Durban is a gateway to the world. Across these dockyards and terminals come a vast array of goods destined for as far afield as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe and of course our own landlocked provinces like Gauteng, Free State and the Northern Province. The containers that stand in multicoloured stacks hold within them the goods that oil the economies of many areas of our region.
Around the world, maritime trade has increased dramatically, and the advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994 brought with it a related increase in trade both to and from our ports. Our new democracy has attracted great interest around the world. Unfortunately, Southern Africa has also been identified by syndicates involved in the heinous tentacles of the international illegal trade in drugs, in arms and weapons, precious metals and minerals smuggling. At the same time, rogue elements have attempted to rob the economy of our region of legitimate revenue through misdeclarations to Customs and Excise.
One of the strengths of the new system is its mobility; allowing port authorities to move the scanner where they need it, or even to transport it to another port. A major element of its future success rests however on the cooperation between the port authority, the SAPS and the SA Revenue Services. Besides these formal structures, it is also clear that we will achieve even greater success in combatting the theft of revenue and smuggling in all its forms if each and every person who works in the harbour precincts, the truck and transport drivers, the representatives of companies and their agents, the stevedores, the sailors, seamen and ships' masters all recommit themselves to working in a corruption free environment.
The introduction of the scanner coincides with the introduction of the new Cosmos system for the handling of containers within the port itself. Together these represent just two elements of Portnet's plans for the upgrading of facilities as well as their intention to sustain and extend a world-class facility to users and operators alike. I have been impressed with the reports I have received concerning the operations of similar systems in the Port of Felixstowe in the United Kingdom, and Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and I am convinced that we will be able to meet their standards.
The teething problems of the Cosmos system are well-known by now but these have reached critical proportions. I have been assured by the Portnet management that they are overcoming these problems that should see the workloads they handle return to normal shortly. However, the concerns of ships' operators, their agents and the numerous companies large and small that have been adversely affected by the problems of the past weeks have been highlighted and taken on board.
Later today, management will meet with the container line operators' forum to discuss common problems and suggest rapid solutions to a wholly unsatisfactory situation. I have taken a personal interest in the resolution of the problems and wish to assure everyone concerned that we will not rest until this matter has been disposed of satisfactorily.
With these few words, I merely want now to wish the security and revenue personnel responsible for the monitoring and eradication of nefarious practices in our ports every success in their noble endeavours.
I thank you.