SOUTH Africa exporters are facing major disruption as a strike at Transnet, the rail and port company, is causing significant challenges to ports, with backlogs after the action ends, expected after 60 days.
The United National Transport Union (UNTU) began an indefinite strike last Thursday (6 October ), while the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) members walked out on 10 October.
“The impact is potentially devastating to the economy,” said Business Unity South Africa.
And the strike comes on top of South Africa’s energy crisis that has caused blackouts of up to nine hours a day.
Data from the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) reveals that logistics delays cost the country’s economy between R100m and R1bn ($548m) a day, but that the total economic cost “will likely run into billions, daily”.
The mining sector, for example, it says has lost R50bn this year, “due to
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