R4 billion in fresh produce lost at the Port of Cape Town last season

Problems at the Port of Cape Town resulted in the loss of R4 billion in fresh produce last season, and there is a risk of a repeat this season.

This is the warning from Noko Masipa, a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and the DA Spokesperson on Agriculture and Economic Development.

Masipa said that when the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism visited the port on 18 March 2025, port management asked for patience.

“However, after billions of rands in agricultural losses and severe reputational damage to our export sector, slow progress is no longer acceptable,” he said.

Noko said that this was one of the reasons they launched a motion in the provincial parliament calling on Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to fix the Port of Cape Town.

Creecy conceded that past contingency plans failed to prevent more than R4 billion in fresh produce losses last season.

To prevent a repeat catastrophe at the port, the national Department of Transport announced interventions.

These included procuring 14 new crane grabbers, temporary labour transfers from Durban and Gqeberha, and plans to introduce private terminal operators.

A key pillar of the plan involves proactively diverting fruit cargo to ports in Durban and Gqeberha during the peak December weeks.

Cargo diversions are not good for local growers and saddle farmers with substantial additional road transport costs.

However, it represents a practical emergency measure to ensure high-value perishable produce reaches global export markets without rotting at the docks.

“Diverting cargo is also a direct admission of senior management’s failure and cannot serve as a permanent substitute for an efficient local port,” he said.

Curiously, the ANC in the Western Cape rejected a motion in the provincial parliament calling on Creecy to fix the Port of Cape Town.

“The rejection came after Creecy visited the port and admitted to operational, equipment, and labour breakdowns,” Masipa said.

“By blocking the motion, the ANC chose partisan obstruction over the interests of Western Cape agricultural producers and export workers.”

Despite the political battle, Masipa said Transnet must implement the proposed operational changes urgently.

“Transnet must also fast-track private sector partnerships to restore full functionality to the port,” he said.