TNPA Port of Richards Bay Announces Closure Due to EFF 20 March National Shutdown

Transnet Port of Richards Bay has announced that it will close its gates on the 19th of March 2023 in anticipation of a National Shutdown called by the EFF on 20 March.

Port Manager, Captain Dennis Mqadi, announced the contingency measures in a view to protecting stakeholders and customers as the organisers have particularly warned truckers to stay off the road.

“The planned national shutdown on 20 March 2023 has been widely communicated through the media to have an adverse impact on the traffic, particularly trucks transporting dry bulk minerals to the Port of Richards Bay,” said Mqadi.

In an effort to ensure the safety of stakeholders and customers, the following measures are recommended: –

1. Customers are urged not to dispatch trucks to the Port of Richards Bay 3 days before the date of this event. All long-distance trucks must have evacuated the port by 18h00 on 19 March 2023.

2. The dispatching of the harbour-bound trucks to the Port of Richards Bay be suspended a day before the date of this event. All local trucks must have evacuated the port by 18:00 on 19 March 2023.

Furthermore, stakeholders and customers are requested to take precautionary measures by activating their respective business continuity plans.

TNPA, Port of Richards Bay endeavours to ensure minimal disruptions to both its inland and waterside operations and will maintain communication with all stakeholders and customers whenever necessary during the course of the planned National Shutdown.

The EFF has warned all small businesses and factories to close on the day or risk being looted ahead of the planned National Shutdown.

EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said the party had travelled door to door, handed pamphlets, and mobilised on the back of bakkies throughout the country to “effectively gather people for the national shutdown”.

“It has been effective, and it is being received well by our people who are suffering the rising costs of living, high unemployment levels, and high levels of crime, so our people wanted a solution to their problems.”

Read | Malema plans national shutdown on 20 March, says no truck, train or bus will move

SA Federation of Trade Union (SAFTU) general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, announced the trade unions’ participation in the shutdown at a media briefing last week.

Thambo said the SAFTU’s involvement would see more than 700 000 of its members taking part in the shutdown and ensure workers would not be victimised for joining.

The union said it will galvanise and mobilise its members to join the national shutdown across the country.