New home... :)

Here`s a starter for interested.

DHEW, now due for completion circa March next year, followed by permanent sand pumping scheme through to late 2012.

http://www.pixmanimages.co.za/Aerial%20shots/Harbour%20Entrance/Durban%20Harbour%20wid%20table.htm

PD.

^^
Given that Ramos was selected to head up a highly inefficient parastatal from a clearly financial big thinker back ground, she hardly made the right decisions for a project execution focused entity. She was not the right person for the job in my opinion. Besides, where was her risk assessment of the global financial merry go round , no where to be seen, hence jump ship to ABSA on boyfriend influenced politic.

The current team are not awarding major new projects, they are downsizing the execution team and mopping up her bad strategy, fact, by re-igniting the “we know better approach to project management” when its not core buisness. A recipe for some large errors to come.

Let’s see, entrance widening, 2 billion over budget due to Transnet interference alone in the decisions presented to the board under Ramos rule.

Where is Durban`s sand pumping scheme at the mouth, still on the draughting board (cad machine) or in a temporary state of dis-repair, actually both and probably not to appear for years to come.

Just the results of the decisions made and the cost associated thereto to add to the scenario.

PD.

ANC backs suspended Transnet boss
Moipone Malefane Published:Aug 29, 2009

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SUSPENDED: Siyabonga Gama was earmarked for top Transnet job
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Parastatal accused of ‘gross injustice’ against party’s favourite as new CEO
The African National Congress has thrown its weight behind suspended Transnet executive Siya-bonga Gama, with minister of justice Jeff Radebe describing his suspension as a “miscarriage of justice”.



Gama, Transnet’s chief executive of freight rail, was this week suspended over allegations that he breached procurement contracts — a move viewed by the ANC as an attempt to scupper his chances of becoming the parastatal’s next chief executive.

Gama is believed to be among at least three candidates short-listed to take over as permanent CEO.

The Sunday Times can also reveal that the ANC national working committee (NWC) instructed minister of public enterprises Barbara Hogan about two months ago to appoint Gama as Transnet’s CEO after the departure of the parastatal’s former head, Maria Ramos, who joined Absa.

ANC insiders said Hogan was this week expected to submit Gama’s name to cabinet for final approval.

She allegedly withdrew following what angry insiders said was “Transnet’s manoeuv rings” by suspend ing him.

Hogan’s spokesman, Ayanda Shezi, said the ministry could not comment on anything to do with the ANC.


ANC spokesman Brian Sokutu said Gama was “an executive who has been with Transnet for quite some years” and “credited for having turned things around both financially and in terms of giving leadership”.

“In other words, we say he has a track record. I am not aware of discussions about him at NWC or NEC level, but there is nothing stopping members of the ANC from discussing succession within parastatals,” said Sokutu.

Speaking at the University of Kwa Zulu-Natal on Thursday, Radebe denounced the Transnet board and described the decision to suspend Gama as a “gross injustice”.

Radebe lashed out at the board for suspending Gama without considering his testimony.


The Sunday Times could not confirm talk that a group of cabinet ministers had approached President Jacob Zuma to register their unhappiness with Gama’s suspension.

On Thursday, Gama appeared before Pradeep Maharaj, the group executive for human resources, and the company’s lawyers to give his side of the story after Transnet had served him with a letter on Monday informing him of its intention to suspend him following a board meeting.

Gama’s lawyer, Themba Langa, said Transnet has been “working hard to get him suspended and there were no objective or reasonable grounds to have him suspended”.

Allegations of impropriety against Gama apparently surfaced for the first time in June. His written responses, according to Langa, were not presented to the board.

According to NWC in siders, Gama was recommended by the party’s deployment committee.

It is alleged the ANC was aware of “Transnet’s intentions to ensure that Gama does not get the job”.

ANC insiders said the contenders for the position at the time included Pravin Gordhan, who has since been appointed minister of finance.

Both men were recommended for the job by the Transnet board selection committee at a meeting on February 13. Gordhan withdrew his candidature after being told he had been earmarked for a cabinet position.

An ANC deployment committee member said a very senior and long-serving cabinet minister, also a member of the deployment committee, was opposed to Gama’s nomination. He was overruled by other committee members.

Another NWC member said some ANC officials had asked why Gama’s appointment had not been implemented by Hogan.

A Transnet board member said Gama was not trusted by certain individuals in management, who thought he would reverse “multimillion contracts awarded to friends and families”.

Transnet spokesman John Dludlu said “a disciplinary process” had been instituted against Gama.

“This relates to alleged serious breaches in certain procurement contracts. This is an internal company matter, and we don’t wish to comment further at this stage.”


moiponem@sundaytimes.co.za



I REMEMBER SOMEONE POSTING TO THIS EFFECT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Well said the other day Water Rat concerning the management downturn at this harbour operator.

Ramos 'heir' faces tender charges2009/08/31 07:40:00 AM

James-Brent Styan


Top Stories


Ramos 'heir' faces tender charges
Aug 31 2009 07:40

Transnet's strongest candidate to succeed Maria Ramos as chief executive is currently embroiled in a disciplinary hearing.

Johannesburg - Transnet's strongest candidate to succeed Maria Ramos as chief executive is currently embroiled in a disciplinary hearing.

The latest charge against Siyabonga Gama apparently relates to fraud in the awarding of a tender to buy 212 locomotives.

Transnet cancelled this tender after certain anomalies came to light.

Gama is the chief executive of Transnet Freight Rail, the parastatal's most profitable and largest division.

The contract for the 212 locomotives was worth R6.5bn-odd and was awarded at the end of last year to a consortium of companies known as Electro-Motive Sibanye.

The contract was however cancelled in February this year after an investigation by auditing firm Ernst & Young discovered a series of irregularities in awarding the tender.

Electro-Motive Sibanye went to court to obtain an interdict against the cancellation, but this was not granted.

According to court documents in Sake24's possession the anomalies include the fact that Electro-Motive Sibanye received the tender documents two weeks before the tender was issued.

Electro-Motive Sibanye also received a higher score than it was entitled to for its black empowerment status.

"If the correct BEE score had been awarded to the company it would never have been identified as the preferred bidder," declared Transnet in the court documents.

In February this year fingers were already being pointed at Gama, but Transnet strongly denied the allegations and said "the investigation has revealed no malpractices on Gama's part".

As head of Transnet Freight Rail, Gama was chairman of the procurement board.

This board's job is to review all tenders before recommendations are made to the Transnet board. On Friday Transnet spokesperson John Dludlu admitted that disciplinary steps are being taken against Gama.

Ramos left Transnet at the end of February to take over as chief executive of Absa.

Gama has since been in the foreground as Ramos' possible successor, especially after Chris Wells, the acting chief executive, indicated that he was not available for the position.

On Friday Dludlu declined to comment on the process under way against Gama.

"This is an internal matter that the company is dealing with." Ayanda Shezi, spokesperson for the Department of Public Enterprises, Transnet's shareholder, says it is still too early to speculate on steps that might be taken against Gama.

"The board [of Transnet] will first finish the disciplinary hearing and then report the result to the shareholder."

Transnet has since issued a new tender for 100 new locomotives.


- Sake24.com

WOW WE, OR CHEW CHEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW.:ohno:

^^ maybe you'll find ramos wasnt to bad

^^

so what happened to the other 112 locos she approved in the original tender?:bash:

good strategy by her or bad?

does this mean that RSA inc now pushes 60% less material around the country, meen ai azzz.

PD.

South Africa risking losses through logistical ineptitude – Patrice Motsepe

By: Martin Creamer
31st August 2009

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South Africa was running the risk of losing business to rival countries because of logistical ineptitude, African Rainbow Minerals (Arm) executive chairperson Patrice Motsepe said on Monday.

"The whole Transnet issue is a very, very important one," Motsepe told the Arm annual results presentation, during question time.

Responding to Mining Weekly Online's question of Arm's response to a request that a new lower-cost, higher-capacity transport route be found for the export of manganese from South Africa's rich Kalahari manganese field, Motsepe said:

"This is not just an industry-specific issue, but it's about the country as a whole, our global competitiveness.

"The problem is that, if there is a growth in demand globally for any of the metals that we produce and that other South African companies produce, if we don't supply that market quickly enough, Australia, Brazil and various other countries competing with us, move very fast, and those opportunities, primarily because of logistical ineptitude on our side, are lost to us.

"They sometimes don't want me to participate in these discussions because you sometimes get very impatient and very irritable when you see how extremely competitive partnerships in other countries are, between business and government, to create those opportunities, and you realise that there is so much that we can do, and that we are not doing as well as we can and as well as we should," Motsepe said in response to Mining Weekly Online.

Arm Ferrous executive director Jan Steenkamp said further that, in the last couple of years, there had been a general concern in South Africa around the logistics for long-term export of manganese ore, given that South Africa had a top-quality resource in the Kalahari.

He said that Arm, with its partner Assmang, and rival diversified miner BHP Billiton, had engaged in sponsoring a feasibility study to look at all the manganese export alternatives on the eastern corridor and the western corridors.

On the eastern corridor were Port Elizabeth, Coega and Durban, and on the western corridor was the Saldanha Bay port.

"The feasibility work is near completion. We have established that, in the longer term, there are different alternatives.

"Transnet is currently working with the producers to look at long-term export capacity," Steenkamp said.

The current export capacity of 4,4-million tons a year through Port Elizabeth was in the process of being expanded to 5,5-million tons a year, and the question was what to do beyond that.

An alternative larger-capacity route was being discussed, as Arm-Assmang alone expected to be capable of exporting more than four-million tons of manganese ore in 2011.

Steenkamp said that State-owned logistics company Transnet had a programme to accommodate expected exports of manganese to 2013.

Parallel to that was a comparison of the capacity possibilities on the eastern and western corridors in the medium-to-long term.

"The view is that solutions need to be found beyond 2013 and that's what we are currently working on," Steenkamp added.

Most of South Africa's manganese exports are currently railed to Port Elizabeth on the general freight line, but South Africa needs to find another export route, with more capacity and less cost, BHP Billiton CEO Marius Kloppers said last week.

"What we do know, is that there are very significant manganese resources in the Kalahari, and we basically have a logistical constraint, which prevents South Africa from taking market share from other producers," Kloppers said.

The current port of Port Elizabeth export channel includes a rail service from Hotazel station, the most northerly point of most of the manganese mines in the Northern Cape, to the manganese bulk-ore terminal in Port Elizabeth, South Africa's primary harbour for the export of manganese from South Africa, with Transnet acknowledging that there is currently more demand than supply.

Arm reports that the long-term manganese-ore allocation process would be completed during 2010.

Arm-Assmang also has a contractual agreement with Transnet to increase its iron-ore export to 14-million tons a year through the port of Saldanha Bay and the company is investigating the possible expansion of the Sishen-Saldanha iron-ore corridor to 60-million tons a year.

Mining Weekly Online understands that South African manganese-ore exporters are keen also to make use of the basic Sishen-Saldanha line, the capacity of which they believe can be augmented by adding more rail loops to the existing network and creating more stockpile capacity at Saldanha Bay.

Record iron-ore sales boosted Arm's results in the 12 months to June 30 with a 13% increase in sales to 7,4-million tons.

There was a 42% decrease in manganese-ore sales, however, to 2,15-million tons. Headline earnings decrease 42% from R4-billion to R2,3-billion, impacted by the global economic recession and profit from operations before exceptional items decreases 44% from R 6,7-billion to R 3,7-billion.

http://www.miningweekly.com/article/south-africa-losing-business-because-of-logistical-ineptitude---motsepe-2009-08-31

Compounding the problem
FARANAAZ PARKER | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Sep 01 2009 06:00

The National Ports Authority (NPA) plans to invest huge amounts of money into South Africa's ports, but stakeholders fear that they will recoup costs by increasing tariffs, which will have a negative impact on port traffic.

According to Dr Brian Gowans, a consulting engineer with Marine Technology, the shipping industry is already depressed because of the economic downturn. A large investment by the NPA could affect tariffs and compound the problem.

"Maputo and Walvis Bay are growing their capabilities quite significantly," said Gowans.

"We could be driving away business if our prices are too high compared with theirs."

Transnet manages and acts as landlord to South Africa’s commercial ports, providing port infrastructure and services through two of its divisions, the NPA and Transnet Port Terminals.

In 2008 Transnet outlined an R80,5-billion five-year investment plan encompassing all its operating divisions. Of this, R16,4-billion was allocated to the NPA and R9,6-billion to Transnet Port Terminals.

When Transnet released its financial results earlier this year, acting group chief executive Chris Wells said that, despite the economic crisis, "there is significant headroom for capital expenditure during the fourth and fifth years of our five-year plan" and confirmed that the company would proceed with its infrastructure investment programme as planned.

"What they're doing is spending money now that they should have been spending progressively over the past 14 years," said Peter Newton, a fresh-produce exporter and member of the South African Shippers' Council. "What are we going to be doing about optimising what we have right now?"

Questions have been raised about where the NPA will source the skilled workers required to run larger ports.

According to Newton, South Africa's combined terminal handling charges and cargo dues are already "arguably the most expensive in the world"; an independent study recently showed that fruit export logistics charges are twice as expensive as New Zealand and 55% more costly than in Chile.

But Riad Khan, chief executive of the Ports Regulator of South Africa, said it's difficult to get a full picture of port tariffs based on just one commodity. He said direct comparison between ports tariffs in different countries are not always accurate because the systems for calculating tariffs are complex and differ from country to country.

"There’s a sense that our tariffs are too high, but nobody can say whether they are out by 1% or 50%," he said. According to Khan, there are no definitive comparative costing studies available at the moment.

As part of its mandate, the regulator has undertaken an economic review of the ports environment, which will evaluate efficiencies and institutional structures and allow it to "benchmark" tariffs. Khan said once the analysis -- which is expected to take about two years -- is completed, there will be a rationalisation of tariffs, but he warned that this will not mean an automatic decrease.

"In some cases our tariffs are higher than other countries and they may be justified. In other cases they are higher and may not be justified," said Khan. "Everybody assumes that when a regulator comes in, tariffs will go down, but in the long term you don't know."

Khan said that although there will be an aggregate downward pressure on tariffs overall, individual tariffs could go up. The regulator will conduct a parallel review of how tariffs at South Africa’s ports compare with other entities around the world, he said.

About 98% of South Africa's exports are conveyed by sea. Despite the global economic downturn, Transnet's revenue for the year ending March 31 was up 11,6% to R33,5-billion and earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 3% to R13,2-billion. The NPA saw a 3,5% increase in revenue to R7,1-billion, which it attributed to "an average tariff increase of 4.3% offset by negative growth on cargo volumes across all major cargo types" and an EBITDA increase of 1,2% to R5,2-billion.

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-09-01-compounding-the-problem

^^

so what happened to the other 112 locos she approved in the original tender?:bash:

good strategy by her or bad?

does this mean that RSA inc now pushes 60% less material around the country, meen ai azzz.

PD.

I think it is important that I reply to your question in such a way so as to make the conversation appear to have a topic or thread of logic as such i feel i should say something completely unrelated to what you just said and at the same time sprout a random statistic. I mean really incuding which original tender you are refering to might help, esspecially as this is the durban harbour forum. Just for reference and i was simply asking do you think you would prefer the new possible promotion or her in a humourous manner.

^^I agree that the figures are sensational; anyone who put their pen to a tender for 212 locomotives and subsequently down graded the revised tender to just 100 locomotives clearly didn’t have much of a clue as to what the purpose of the now AT LARGE 112 locomotives were for. See post 408. Hence Ramos mis judgment was in the order of R3billion. Herb to reply in another example, no I cant see a good side to Mrs Ramos leadership yet.

The objective of the tender for 212 locos was to replace the entire fleet of long haul bulk material units, which feed all of RSAs harbours, incl Durban.

Just 2 days ago RomanSA posted in a article relating to the inefficiencies of Transnet management, as raised by RSAs BEE icon Mr Patrice Motsepe.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=941880

Please, I have no penchant for sensationalism, that’s for the tabloids, I merely have a opinion based on fact supported by Mr Motsepe.

PD.

The objective of the tender for 212 locos was to replace the entire fleet of long haul bulk material units, which feed all of RSAs harbours, incl Durban.


PD.

Project Director

You are making a mistake, the 212 locomotives was only Diesel locomotives and was to be used to add capacity to the General Freight Business and not the export lines exporting coal and iron ore. The new tender for 100 locomotives is in fact for a newer type of diesel locomotive where 1 of the new locomotives are equivalent to about 1.6 of the other. The 212 is therefor being substituted for an equivalent of 160 locomotives that will require less maintenance due to AC traction motors and not DC traction motors like in the original 212 tender.

Project Director

You are making a mistake, the 212 locomotives was only Diesel locomotives and was to be used to add capacity to the General Freight Business and not the export lines exporting coal and iron ore. The new tender for 100 locomotives is in fact for a newer type of diesel locomotive where 1 of the new locomotives are equivalent to about 1.6 of the other. The 212 is therefor being substituted for an equivalent of 160 locomotives that will require less maintenance due to AC traction motors and not DC traction motors like in the original 212 tender.

Not quite,

To reissue a CIDB tender Transnet had to wait a mandatory, i think 6 months, so as the egg was firmly on the Chairmans face the only way around the fiasco was to issue a wholely new tender WITH a revised spec.

Hence the CEO elect was susspended officially yesturday for tender irregularities.

Now, having engineered the need for 212 locos and supporting infrastructure and personel will Transne t be forced to revisit the original 21 call as was clearly raised via, feasibilities etc.

PFMA here we come with associated heads rolling and one Mrs Ramos in the dock.

PD.

Not quite,

To reissue a CIDB tender Transnet had to wait a mandatory, i think 6 months, so as the egg was firmly on the Chairmans face the only way around the fiasco was to issue a wholely new tender WITH a revised spec.

Hence the CEO elect was susspended officially yesturday for tender irregularities.

Now, having engineered the need for 212 locos and supporting infrastructure and personel will Transne t be forced to revisit the original 21 call as was clearly raised via, feasibilities etc.

PFMA here we come with associated heads rolling and one Mrs Ramos in the dock.

PD.


Ramos 'in cahoots with plotters'
2009/09/03 01:05:00 PM

James-Brent Styan

Print story | E-mail article


Related Stories
Ramos 'heir' alleges conspiracy
Ramos 'heir' suspended
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Ramos 'in cahoots with plotters'
Sep 03 2009 13:05

Absa CEO Maria Ramos is accused of being part of a conspiracy to prevent the appointment of Siyabonga Gama as the new head of Transnet.




Johannesburg - Absa CEO Maria Ramos was accused on Wednesday of being part of a conspiracy to prevent the appointment of Siyabonga Gama as the new head of Transnet.

"We have been reliably informed that the Carlton Centre [Transnet's headquarters] cabal is determined to make sure Gama isn't promoted," said Randall Howard, general secretary of the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu).

"The cabal, which is led by acting Transnet CEO Chris Wells, also has direct ties with Maria Ramos, Transnet's former CEO," he added.

Satawu represents most of Transnet's employees.

Gama was suspended from his post on Tuesday pending a disciplinary hearing, following accusations of alleged tender irregularities. He is one of the preferred candidates for the vacant CEO position.

Howard said Satawu had also learned that Sipho Maseko, an employee of petrochemical company BP and a protégé of former Transnet chairperson Fred Phaswana, was earmarked for the CEO position.

Howard said Maseko would merely be a "puppet controlled by the existing Transnet team".

"Siyabonga Gama, on the other hand, knows that the job of Transnet CEO is about more than just the company's profit margin. It's also about transformation and striving for other national objectives, like job-creation," Howard said.

Absa's marketing and corporate affairs director Happy Ntshingila denied the allegations.

"Absa's CEO, Maria Ramos, rejects all these allegations. She's no longer involved in Transnet and consequently refuses to become involved in the internal affairs of that company," Ntshingila said.

Transnet spokesperson John Dludlu said the company was deeply disappointed about Satawu's allegations.

"While we prefer not to become involved in a media war, the content of the Satawu statement is unhelpful and unnecessary. There are structures that Satawu could have gone through with any grievances that the trade union may have, and we are sorry that it did not use these structures," Dludlu said.

ANC spokesperson Brian Sokutu said the party still stands behind Gama, and he remains the ANC's preferred candidate for the position.

According to Sokutu, the ANC respects Transnet's processes, but the party does not want any prejudice against Gama if the disciplinary hearing finds him innocent.

http://www.fin24.com/articles/default/display_article.aspx?ArticleId=1518-24_2551638



Thickening plot, Hmmmmmm.:cheers:

Buddy Naidu and Moipone Malefane

Transnet row gets nastier


New accusations against former boss Maria Ramos. The bitter leadership battle at Transnet is getting uglier with more allegations surfacing over the parastatal’s R80-billion capital expenditure programme.




It has been a week of high drama for the state-owned logistics giant, with a flurry of accusations being levelled against past and present executives.

Business Times can reveal that:


Disgruntled board members met public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan late on Friday afternoon;


Suspended Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) CEO Siyabonga Gama, widely tipped to take over as group CEO, will tomorrow launch an urgent High Court application to challenge his suspension;


The executive committee of TFR has written to President Jacob Zuma requesting an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Gama’s suspension. This is in addition to staff and management calling on the board to lift Gama’s suspension and appoint him group CEO; and


Former CEO Maria Ramos has been dragged into the row with revelations that her brother-in-law works for a company that enjoys a R1.2-billion a year contract with Transnet. It has also emerged that, before joining the company more than a year ago, he served as a voting member on Transnet Capital Projects’ powerful national acquisition council, which approves tenders and contracts.

Gama is accused of neglecting his fiduciary duties and flouting the Public Finance Management Act when awarding a R19- million security contract and a contract to build 50 locomotives.

Allegations relating to one contract he oversaw were initially made to the Public Service Commission in November 2007. The public enterprises minister at the time, Alec Erwin, also received complaints prior to September 2008, which he asked Transnet to investigate.


Ramos raised the allegations in her last meeting with the board, in Cape Town on February 12, when the appointment of a new CEO was discussed.

Gama was one of five candidates short- listed by a recruitment company, but the board’s preferred choice at the time was Pravin Gordhan.

Gordhan withdrew his candidature after being told that he would be appointed to Zuma’s cabinet.

The selection process was opened up again, with Ramos’s earlier move effectively dashing Gama’s chances as his was not one of the three names submitted to Hogan for approval.

Former chief financial officer Chris Wells took over from Ramos in an acting capacity in early March and was tasked with dealing with the allegations against Gama.

Since then, the board and Wells have received three independent legal opinions on the matter, and Gama was interviewed by internal auditors.

On Monday last week — almost two years after first receiving the allegations — the Transnet board served Gama with a notice of suspension.

This was two days before the cabinet was supposed to have endorsed him as group CEO.

Gama had been selected by the ANC’s deployment committee to take over as boss and he enjoys the support of executives throughout the group.

This week he broke the silence he has maintained since the leadership tussle began in February. “My conscience is clear. I have done nothing wrong and the courts will clear my name,” he said.

His lawyer, Themba Langa, confirmed that papers would be filed in the High Court tomorrow in a bid to overturn the suspension.

“Their (Transnet’s) case has no merit and we are prepared to prove this in court. In addition, we will also show how the board has been misled by certain individuals regarding my client,” Langa said.

Transnet, meanwhile, has denied any conflict of interest relating to Ramos and the tender granted in 2005 to Hatch Mott McDonald Goba (HMG), for which her brother- in-law works.

“After inquiring from (HMG), we would like to confirm that (he) is employed in the engineering procurement department,” said Transnet spokesman John Dludlu.

Dludlu said HMG is an international engineering and project management consultancy and that Ramos’s relative is merely a “salaried employee” who “joined just over a year ago from Hatch Africa and therefore played no role in HMG’s appointment”.

He said: “We reject insinuations that there is or was a conflict of interest between him and the former chief executive of Transnet.”

The company’s contract ends in December 2010 and it has also been at the centre of allegations that it has over-billed Transnet.

In one complaint, a manager claimed that despite a budget of R110000 for project management carried out by HMG in the 2008/09 financial year, actual costs received were about R630000 a month.

Said Dludlu: “The company is not under any investigation. We are unaware of any reasons that would justify these. Also, as we have said in the past, we’re happy with the value they have added.”

Ramos is now CEO of Absa, but bank spokesman Patrick Wadula said she could not comment. “Please note that Maria Ramos reserves her rights on this matter.”


Last week, justice minister Jeff Radebe told Business Times there was a conspiracy against Gama.

“Some of us will ensure that he gets the job. It is clear that he has already been judged by the Transnet board. For the board to treat a person who has done so much for Transnet like this is wrong,” said Radebe.

Transnet’s board would not comment on the matter, saying it was an internal issue.

On Wednesday, the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union accused Ramos of being part of a conspiracy to oust Gama.

Said general secretary Randall Howard: “We have been reliably informed that the Carlton Centre (Transnet’s headquarters) cabal is determined to make sure Gama isn’t promoted... the cabal, which is led by acting Transnet CEO Chris Wells, also has direct ties with Maria Ramos, Transnet’s former CEO.”


ANC spokesman Brian Sokutu said Gama remains the party’s preferred candidate for the position.


http://www.thetimes.co.za/Business/BusinessTimes/Article1.aspx?id=1060904


Followed by Mrs Manuel the week after?:ohno:

Oh isn't this but the epitome of an example of positivity in a thread.

iv personally come to the conclusion that PD had some interest in STS and hence cant stand transnet.

iv personally come to the conclusion that PD had some interest in STS and hence cant stand transnet.

Herb, your not supposed to conclude when your :-

Procrastination is a behavior which is characterized by the deferment of actions or tasks to a later time

me, Loco Driver, come on.:lol:

What are you going on about now? o_O

Herb, your not supposed to conclude when your :-

Procrastination is a behavior which is characterized by the deferment of actions or tasks to a later time

me, Loco Driver, come on.:lol:

Ambiguity is the property of being ambiguous, where a word, term, notation, sign, symbol, phrase, sentence, or any other form used for communication, is called ambiguous if it can be interpreted in more than one way. Ambiguity is different from vagueness, which arises when the boundaries of meaning are indistinct. Ambiguity is context-dependent: the same linguistic item (be it a word, phrase, or sentence) may be ambiguous in one context and unambiguous in another context. For a word, ambiguity typically refers to an unclear choice between different definitions as may be found in a dictionary. A sentence may be ambiguous due to different ways of parsing the same sequence of words.

:sly:

Copying and pasting from Wikipedia :D

Not quite,

To reissue a CIDB tender Transnet had to wait a mandatory, i think 6 months, so as the egg was firmly on the Chairmans face the only way around the fiasco was to issue a wholely new tender WITH a revised spec.

Hence the CEO elect was susspended officially yesturday for tender irregularities.

Now, having engineered the need for 212 locos and supporting infrastructure and personel will Transne t be forced to revisit the original 21 call as was clearly raised via, feasibilities etc.

PFMA here we come with associated heads rolling and one Mrs Ramos in the dock.

PD.



Firm may sue Transnet over engine tender
September 8, 2009

By SLINDILE KHANYILE

Sibanye, which was awarded a contract to overhaul 50 like-new locomotives in a tender worth R800-million, was prepared to take legal action against Transnet for "unlawful interference", Gustav Adams, the firm's director, said yesterday.

Adams said Sibanye was assessing losses and damages related to the contract, which was halted in April last year.

Adams said that though Transnet had approached Sibanye for engagement on the matter, legal action would not be ruled out.

Sibanye is a partner with Electro-Motive, a US-based firm. The tender is one of two contracts littered with irregularities that last week led to the suspension of Siyabonga Gama, the chief executive of Transnet Freight Rail.

The other contract involves General Nyanda Security Advisory Services (GNS).

Transnet maintains its board had decided that the locomotive refurbishments should be done internally, and that Gama had awarded the tender against its wishes.


The GNS contract was allegedly confined and extended without authorisation, lifting its value from R10m to R19m.

Transnet spokesman John Dludlu yesterday said the parastatal had placed the locomotives contract in a process to "amend and regularise" it.

The security contract was the subject of a new tender.

Yesterday Gama was expected to file an urgent court interdict to overturn his suspension but he had not gone to court by the afternoon.

Former Transnet chief Maria Ramos, who now heads Absa, was approached for comment, but Absa spokesman Patrick Wadula said Ramos could not comment as she no longer worked at the parastatal.

Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan has denied meeting with board members to discuss Gama's position.

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=563&fArticleId=5155839

These tenders can be tricky things you know, especially when you dont know the consequences of your actions, Mr Gama.
Now hes also lied, as he said he was going to court on Monday but didnt pitch, wonder what changed his mind, maybe he just felt guilty!!:ohno:

PD.

^^ the part I dont get about what you are saying is that on one side you are saying Mr.Gama is a scapegoat for the transnet board and the former Mrs Ramos, but on the other side your saying he is guilty. Or are you trying to say that he is been used as a scapegoat but they are all guilty or have I totally missunderstood you?

^^
Thats misplaced, I whole heartedly contend that they are both in breach of the Public Finances Management Act and CIDB Tender Rules.

Wasteful expenditure throughout the Transnet Programme runs to billions of rand, FACT. Much of it not publicly reported, as yet.

This requires investigation and the old adage "to make sure it doesnt happen again, in the future", can be rolled out again.

Thing is, will Mr Manuel get involved or will the conflict of interest between the two get in his way.

PD.

^^ The Manuals have previously deflected any suggetions that they let their personal and bussiness/goverment lives intertwine so I doubt you will see him become openly involved (though behind the scenes you might never know)

I still debate if they both or one of them are in breach of the rules. It might well come down to technicallity in a court case though which I wont see as pretty. Also as an aside, what is the alledged reason that transnet wished to change the tender in your opinion from what Ive read I get slightly mixed messages.

Also I think its more like 25% less material round the country as apposed to 60% as really the 100 locomotives are equivilent to 160 of the 212 locomotives.

iv personally come to the conclusion that PD had some interest in STS and hence cant stand transnet.
i cant stand them but i have no interest.
they are hogging large land parcels which they claim are "strategic" yet remain vacant for the last 20 years.

^^
Herb,
The point was raised in Buisness Report, as to the relationship between Maria Ramos`s brother and the HMG position that he holds. HMG, are contracted to administor on behalf of Transnet, so it may well transpire, as it has in the past, that the Project Management Team(HMG) are made culpable, as these parties Gama/ Ramos are meerly being pointed at, at present.

I hear you on Manuel, i think he`s been placed to mop this dirt up and smooth it over.

Affordability, must have been the driver for moving away from the 212 locos to the 100 other type. I recall the timing of this issue when it was in parallel with the credit crunch. R6.5 Billion being locked up in this tender, when they couldnt raise the funds at that time, must have attracted a great deal of inventive management.
Someone must have seen an opportunity to swing the deal to the other party at this juncture but has fallen foul of the CIDB technicalities ,which can trip up any expert proposals executive, as interpretation of some of the rules is open to debate. Perhaps a counter bid proposal was on the table from the one party and someone entertained it via the revised tender, CIDB rules do not allow for non compliance with the tender specs. All these issues come to mind.

I see a large number of other ill fitting deals from the Ramos era emerging as this unwinds.

PD.

@ Mo fair enough and I would tend to agree with you on that point, maybe I should have clarified my little jest as only really refering to the Ramos era of Transnet as im sure you will agree that the issue of transnet holding on to key land parcels has existed for a far longer period of time.

^^
Herb,
The point was raised in Buisness Report, as to the relationship between Maria Ramos`s brother and the HMG position that he holds. HMG, are contracted to administor on behalf of Transnet, so it may well transpire, as it has in the past, that the Project Management Team(HMG) are made culpable, as these parties Gama/ Ramos are meerly being pointed at, at present.

I hear you on Manuel, i think he`s been placed to mop this dirt up and smooth it over.

Affordability, must have been the driver for moving away from the 212 locos to the 100 other type. I recall the timing of this issue when it was in parallel with the credit crunch. R6.5 Billion being locked up in this tender, when they couldnt raise the funds at that time, must have attracted a great deal of inventive management.
Someone must have seen an opportunity to swing the deal to the other party at this juncture but has fallen foul of the CIDB technicalities ,which can trip up any expert proposals executive, as interpretation of some of the rules is open to debate. Perhaps a counter bid proposal was on the table from the one party and someone entertained it via the revised tender, CIDB rules do not allow for non compliance with the tender specs. All these issues come to mind.

I see a large number of other ill fitting deals from the Ramos era emerging as this unwinds.

PD.

Yeah I was aware of the MRamos's brothers involvment in HMG and that to me is more fishy than the entire tender problem which I currently feel was most likely the correct financial descision (in terms of the fact that they didnt have the capital for the locos they wished to obtain) but possibly handled in the wrong manner and could hence be foul of the technicalities (which I must admit to been less than fully competent on) in the issuance of the tenders. Transnet however are claiming that the 212 tender was awarded due to undeclared conflict of interests and therefore they had everyright to withdraw.

Turkish bulk carrier runs aground near Cape Town

Tue Sep 8, 2009 9:17pm IST
CAPE TOWN, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Turkish bulk carrier MV SELI 1, carrying a 30,000 tonne coal cargo, ran aground with no reported injuries at Dolphin beach near the South African coastal city of Cape Town, city officials said on Tuesday. The 176 metre long ship, registered in Panama, ran aground on Monday evening while on its way to Gibraltar, the City of Cape Town said in a statement.
There were no injuries.
The carrier, clearly visible from city vantage points, is reportedly carrying 600 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 60 tonnes of diesel, although no fuel tanks had ruptured, the city said.
It said South Africa's department of environmental affairs will conduct an aerial survey on Tuesday to determine if there was a fuel leak.
Known as the "Cape of Storms", Cape Town's coastline at the tip of Africa is a notorious stretch where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans converge, claiming many vessels which run aground on beaches or hit submerged rocks. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by Keiron Henderson)



http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2534/3900004981_433355f45e_o.jpghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3514/3900899064_8881a87841_o.jpghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3433/3899965245_5cd60fa745_o.jpg

Uploaded on September 8, 2009 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/22529791@N05/archives/date-posted/2009/09/08/)
by jennyconr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/22529791@N05/)

that black and white shot is truely brilliant.

stupid ass captain however.

@ Mo fair enough and I would tend to agree with you on that point, maybe I should have clarified my little jest as only really refering to the Ramos era of Transnet as im sure you will agree that the issue of transnet holding on to key land parcels has existed for a far longer period of time.



Yeah I was aware of the MRamos's brothers involvment in HMG and that to me is more fishy than the entire tender problem which I currently feel was most likely the correct financial descision (in terms of the fact that they didnt have the capital for the locos they wished to obtain) but possibly handled in the wrong manner and could hence be foul of the technicalities (which I must admit to been less than fully competent on) in the issuance of the tenders. Transnet however are claiming that the 212 tender was awarded due to undeclared conflict of interests and therefore they had everyright to withdraw.

Preferred CEO candidate for Transnet pulls out

Controversy surrounding Gama is too much for him.
The preferred candidate for the vacant position of CEO of Transnet has pulled out of the race because of the controversy surrounding CE Transnet Freight Rail.

CEO of BP SA Sipho Maseko has indicated to Transnet that, in view of the furore that has apparently been triggered by an internal disciplinary process initiated in relation to Gama CE of Transnet Freight Rail operating divisions, he would under these circumstances no longer be available as the preferred candidate for the vacant position of the Group CE at Transnet, Transnet said in a press release.

http://www.moneyweb.co.za/mw/view/mw/en/page295050?oid=316959&sn=2009%20Detail&pid=287226


the money is good, 5 bar a year!!!!:bash:

Transnet's spending spree busts its budget by R483m

Alarm bells sounded by staff ignored by top brass, writes Moipone Malefane
Sep 12, 2009 10:30 PM | By Moipone Malefane

Transnet authorised payments totalling R483-million more than it should have to contractors over the past four years, as part of its R80-billion capital expenditure programme.



The payments were made during former chief executive Maria Ramos's term of office, and have been repeatedly questioned by senior executives at the state-owned logistics giant - to no avail.
It has been revealed that 34 contracts, ranging from office refurbishments to construction engineering, were financed beyond the original tender amounts of R260-million. The company dished out R800-million to contractors.
This is in direct contravention of Transnet's governance and procurement rules. The rules stipulate that, should a contract value exceed the agreed amount, the project is required to be re-opened to tender.
But Moira Moses, Transnet capital projects group executive, approved the projects despite them soaring over the limits. Moses was brought to Transnet by Ramos and is overseeing the R80-billion capital expenditure programme.
In one project, the Iron Ore Line Expansion programme, auditing firm Ernst & Young ruled that Transnet's management was unsatisfactory. The project is one of several managed by consulting firm Hatch, Mott McDonald, Goba (HMG).
The Ernst & Young report revealed that in the procurement and contract management process not all tender awards and confinement decisions could be supported by documents. It said the project's change management was "not managed adequately as compensation events were not monitored and approved in accordance".
It showed that financial management and accounting critical controls were ineffective.
On HMG, the report states that the firm did not perform any compliance audits and that its expenditure "may be in excess of approved funding".
A flurry of e-mails exchanged between Transnet managers querying the bills by HMG amounted to nothing.
In February, one manager complained about inflated invoices from HMG. The manager questioned which services and projects HMG was managing at one of Transnet's Durban projects in return for claiming R630000 per month while Transnet had budgeted R110000 for the year. Another e-mail from a manager questioned invoices submitted by HMG regarding what appeared to be inflated rental amounts for five houses in Port Elizabeth.
"It must be noted that I am not the last signatory on these invoices before they are paid. They appear to have already been signed off by at least five management layers inside of Transnet Capital Projects (TCP) so I expect that my queries may not be viewed favourably within TCP but then all I need is clarity," one manager wrote in an e-mail.
"I have just chosen a few examples from the pack of invoices I signed off today - without tallying all charges of this nature, my feeling is that this could be in the region of R350000 to R450000 each month. So you must agree with me that it is worth a look."
HGM enjoys a R1.2-billion-a-year contract with Transnet. The company's contract ends in December 2010.
The latest revelations follow the suspension of Transnet Freight Rail chief executive Siyabonga Gama. He was tipped to take over as group CEO - and had been endorsed by the ANC and senior managers.
His appointment was scheduled to be endorsed by the cabinet last Wednesday, but he was suspended by the board two days earlier - despite the allegations against him having first surfaced in November 2007.
Asked to comment, Transnet spokesman John Dludlu said the company's "internal audit function identifies weaknesses in controls and reports these to management for appropriate corrective action. It is a routine internal process that we'll not comment on."

www.thetimes.co.za


is this jorno reading my posts, plagirise the man. Maybe its a competition between the stadiums and the harbours to see who can waste the most, Hmm.

Gama to challenge suspension in court
Sep 14, 2009 11:45 AM | By Sapa

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transnet Freight Rail's suspended chief executive Siyabonga Gama will launch an urgent court bid to get his job back, according to Monday's Business Report.

Gama's lawyers are expected to lodge an urgent application on

Thursday to have his suspension set aside.

His lawyers will argue that Transnet's acting group chief executive Chris Wells and human resource director Maharaj Pradeep did not have the authority to bring disciplinary action against Gama.

This is argued in an affidavit filed in the High Court in Johannesburg last week.

Gama was suspended about two weeks ago and is facing charges related to the allocation of a contract to refurbish 50 locomotives to Sibanye Trade Services, which allegedly lacks experience in the renovation of locomotives.

Gama - who only had authority to sign off on contracts worth less than R10 million - also allegedly awarded a R19 million contract to a security firm with alleged links to Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda.

Gama was suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation.



Looks like hes changed his mind, urgency however seems inappropriate.:ohno:

Some stunning pic's of the ship

http://i31.************/2r2uazn.jpg

http://i27.************/25zlbiu.jpg

http://i29.************/sg245g.jpg

http://i31.************/2a6kwsl.jpg

http://i25.************/4iiww0.jpg

^^

is it still intact or has it succumb to the mighty atlantic seaboard

^^
Hogan ready to break Transnet logjam

Barbara Hogan, the minister responsible for public enterprises including Transnet, threatened to step in to resolve the impasse over the appointment of a new chief executive officer to the rail utility.

Carefully reading a prepared text to Parliament's portfolio committee on public enterprises, Hogan, who has twice been in hot water for making unsanctioned comments, said she had the right to appoint a CEO over the heads of Transnet's board.

"In the event that the outcome of this matter is protracted, I will exercise my prerogative to appoint a CEO at Transnet, in consultation with Cabinet," she said.

"In so doing, I will be mindful of the transformational imperatives of our times, the particular skills and experiences requiired for the job and the leadershup capabilities of the candidate," she said.

Without mentioning any names, Hogan effectively confirmed that Gama, whose candidacy has been backed by several of her cabinet colleagues, was never the front-runner for the job. Instead, she implicitly confirmed media reports that the Transnet board had recommended Sipho Maseko, the CEO of BP Africa, for the post.

Gama was suspended pending a disciplinary hearing on allegations of contract abuse and has since taken his case to court, alleging that the charges were trumped up to block his bid for the top job.

Maseko subsequently pulled out of the race, citing the "context" within which the appointment was being made.

Hogan declined to answer reporters' questions after her brief statement and would not say whether she would ask Maseko to renew his availability.

Hogan, who served briefly as minister of health, has been in trouble with ANC leaders over comments she made criticising the decision to block the Dalai Lama from visiting the country to present a lecture and over a threat made soon after she was appointed to her current position to sell off non-performing state owned enterprises


http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article104021.ece


IF IT BECOMES PROLONGED, HAHAH ONLY BEEN GOING SINCE NOVEMBER LAST YEAR.:ohno:

Good report on all major African ports in Sub-Saharan Africa

---------------

Regional ports record reduced cargo volumes
By Githua Kihara
Posted Wednesday, September 16 2009 at 00:00

Cargo throughput for the region recorded slower growth compared to 2007, a trend attributed to the global financial crunch experienced since last year.

Twenty ports in East and South Africa handled a total of 263.7 metric tonnes of cargo last year compared to 257.8 million tonnes in 2007, a marginal growth of 2.3 per cent, according to the 2008 port performance statistics for the East and South Africa countries.

This rate was a drop compared to the 3.5 per cent recorded in 2007. Container traffic registered a growth of 6.1 per cent from 6,083,304 twenty foot equivalent units (Teus) in 2007 to 6,456,702 Teus in 2008, statistics released by he Port Management of East and South Africa (PMAESA) shows.

In 2007, there was container traffic growth by 26 per cent and 2008 figures signify a huge drop, which is attributed to the financial crunch, according to port statistics officer, Mr Isaac Onyango.

Southern Africa giant ports, Richard Bay, Saldanha and Durban while maintaining the leading positions in the region respectively reflected a static growth, according to PMAESA statistics.

Richard Bay handled a total volume of 84,533,584 metric tonnes compared to 84,517,409 tonnes in 2007, an increase of 0.02 per cent. Saldanha handled 46,533,328 tonnes recording an increase by 6.51 per cent compared to 43,687,280 tonnes in 2007 while cargo handled by Durban declined by 1.15 per cent to 41,402,495 from 41,883,269 tonnes handled in 2007.

The containerised cargo in Richard Bay, Saldanha and Durban grew by 6.6, 0.5 and 5.2 per cent respectively.

Mombasa port
In East Africa, Kenya’s port of Mombasa posted a growth of 2.8 per cent in total cargo traffic compared to 10.7 per cent growth recorded last year and was ranked fourth after the three South Africa giants.

“The impact of global economic downturn was clearly evident in the performance of container traffic which has been the pillar of the port traffic growth over the years,” Mr Onyango said. In 2008, the port recorded a margin growth of 5.2 per cent in containerised cargo compared to 22 per cent growth recorded in 2007.

Port Sudan ranked fifth and recorded an increase of one per cent handling a total of 8,400,809 tonnes. This was an improvement from a 10 per cent drop recorded in 2007.

In the port of Dar es Salaam, which was ranked sixth, total volume of the total cargo handled dropped by 6,080 metric which is 0.08 per cent. However, there was a notable increase in the volume of the containerised cargo which recorded a growth of 11.8 per cent in 2008 which was a significant drop compared to 30.3 per cent increase recorded in the corresponding period last year.

Durban, the largest container port in the region, handling a third of the entire containerised cargo recorded a growth of 6.6 per cent compared to over 12 per cent recorded in 2007.

The port of Djibouti, which is currently under the management of DP World under a 20-year concession posted overwhelming cargo growth traffic of 25.5 and 20.9 per cent for the container traffic. The port recorded a container growth of 31.1 per cent in 2007.


Nambia’s Walvis Bay, one of the region’s best equipped ports handled a total of 4,960,341 tonnes of cargo in 2008 compared to 3,603,126 tonnes in 2007 which was a margin growth of 37.7 per cent compared to 5.3 per cent in 2007. This was the highest growth margin recorded by any port in the region.

Mauritius, a regional transshipment and logistical hub in the East Africa hub registered a growth of 5.4 per cent in total cargo traffic and a 10 percent in container traffic. The port had recorded a drop by 10.2 per cent in 2007 to handle 8.3 tonnes compared to 9.2 million in 2006.

The general increase in the volume of the cargo handled by African ports according to PMAESA officials is attributed to increased trade between Africa and the vastly expanding Chinese economy.

Major challenges
The ports in Africa, however, faces some major constraints such as navigational restrictions caused by short drafts, inadequate container yard and a cumbersome documentation process.

Others challenges are vessel incompatibility and inadequate inter modal transport infrastructure leading to congestion. Mombasa port has been affected by the near collapse of the railway services which has reached its lowest performance of five per cent of the total traffic from the port.

“In comparison with many parts of the world, particularly the USA, European Union and Asia, railways have always enjoyed due attention and special care of the states and stakeholders” Mr. Jerome Ntibarekerwa, the PMAESA secretary said in an earlier interview.

The merger of key players in the shipping lines, consolidation of shipping routes and shift to larger post panamax vessels with upsurge of containerised cargo demands a high technology port.

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/-/539444/658522/-/ry9sic/-/

^^

is it still intact or has it succumb to the mighty atlantic seaboard

still intact, they should move it now since everything has been offloaded

^^

strange case this, dont recall reading what the cause of this accident was, like, engine failure, short cut to durban,etc:ohno:

Gama court bid to get job back postponed

Sep 17, 2009 10:52 AM | By Reuters

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transnet Freight Rail suspended CEO Siyabonga Gama's court bid to get his job back has been postponed in the High Court in Johannesburg.

The Transnet board and company needed to file affidavits, which they promised to do on Friday, counsel told the court.

The matter would then proceed next Tuesday.

Gama was recently suspended allegedly as a result of serious breaches in two procurement contracts.

The Transnet board is in the process of finding a chief executive officer since the resignation of Maria Ramos.


SO THIS IS HOW URGENCY WORKS, Hmmmmmm.


http://www.timeslive.co.za/business/article119172.ece

^^

Zuma backs away from Gama saga

2009/09/17 03:59:00 PM

Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma has distanced himself from the ANC's show of support for suspended Transnet executive Siyabonga Gama's bid to get the top job at the parastatal.

"Whoever has made a statement in public, it is unfortunate," Zuma told reporters at Tuynhuys on Thursday.

He said appointing a successor to former Transnet CEO Maria Ramos was the responsibility of Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan.

Neither the president nor others should be seen to intervene.

"I don't think I need to comment. There is a minister dealing with the matter. I don't think it helps to have a debate on this matter in public," Zuma said.

Gama, who headed Transnet Freight Rail, is fighting his suspension for alleged irregularities in two procurement contracts worth more than R800 million in court.

He claims it was a conspiracy to block his promotion to CEO.

Those who have come out in support of Gama include Justice Minister Jeff Radebe and Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda.

The African National Congress has stated that Gama remains the party's preferred candidate for the job.

Hogan said this week he had never been the first choice of the Transnet board.

She said she hoped his dispute with the company would be resolved soon, and that it would appoint a suitable person for the post in consultation with cabinet.

The High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday postponed the Gama case until Tuesday to allow Transnet time to file affidavits.

http://www.fin24.com/articles/default/display_article.aspx?ArticleId=1518-24_2553543


LOOKS LIKE THE PRESIDENT WILL BE GETTING INVOLVED IN TRANSNET PROJECTS, DONT KNOW HOW HE COPES WITH HAVING TO ANSWER HIS HOTLINE PHONE AS WELL.:ohno:

^^

strange case this, dont recall reading what the cause of this accident was, like, engine failure, short cut to durban,etc:ohno:

strong currents pushed it close to shore

Its because he's black: ANCYL
2009/09/11 04:27:00 PM
Johannesburg - Transnet's suspension of Siyabonga Gama is a witch-hunt meant to stop him from becoming the parastatal's group chief executive officer, the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) said on Friday.

In a statement, it said the suspension should be withdrawn immediately.

The ANCYL also called for Gama to be immediately appointment as Transnet group chief executive officer.

"There is evidently a concerted agenda by the predominantly white board of directors and external role players to isolate Siyabonga Gama from Transnet and deny him the position of group CEO of Transnet, despite his credentials," the ANCYL said.

"Recurrently, Africans are denied positions of responsibility in key and strategic sectors of the economy and we should never egg walk around this absolute reality," it added.

The ANCYL said the Employment Equity Commission Report recently released confirmed "the reality that those in control of the economy (white males) refuse the integration of capable black people into key and strategic sectors of the economy".

It said any attempt to persecute and isolate Gama would be met with "massive resistance" from the youth of South Africa.

The Transnet board began its search for a new group chief executive officer late last year following the resignation of present Absa group chief executive officer Maria Ramos.

The board favoured Pravin Gordhan for the post, but when Gordhan became finance minister, Transnet re-started the process of finding a chief executive officer.

Justice Minister Jeff Radebe and the ANC have shown support for awarding Gama the parastatal's position of chief executive officer.

However, Gama was recently suspended, allegedly as a result of serious breaches in two procurement contracts.

Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan has been summoned to Parliament next week to clarify the events around Gama's suspension and other matters related to Transnet's management.

- Sapa

http://www.fin24.com/articles/default/display_article.aspx?ArticleId=2552731

Very weak argument if i`ve ever seen one, for covering up a huge slice of incompetent management, on this fellas part. :ohno:

^^

Gama was framed, court hears
2009/09/25 05:05:00 PM
Johannesburg - A senior Transnet official was allegedly used to discredit the head of Transnet Freight Rail Siyabonga Gama, the High Court in Johannesburg heard on Friday.


Transnet's group executive for human resources, Pradeep Maharaj, was allegedly used by the parastatal's CEO, Chris Wells, to discredit Gama, who was in the running for Transnet's top post of group CEO.


Maharaj - who reports to Wells - made the decision to launch disciplinary action against Gama which led to his suspension last month.


The suspension followed allegations of contract irregularities against Gama. Transnet's legal team argued that the company was obliged in the public interest to take action against any perceived mismanagement within its midst.


Gama approached the court last week with an urgent application to overturn his suspension.


Judge Brian Spilg will hand down a decision next Wednesday.


Gama has challenged his suspension by Transnet which involves charges related to the allocation of a contract to refurbish 50 locomotives to Sibanye Trade Services, which allegedly lacks experience in the renovation of locomotives.


Gama - who only had authority to sign off on contracts worth less than R10m - also allegedly awarded a R19m contract to a security firm with alleged links to Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda.


Gama was suspended pending the outcome of an internal disciplinary hearing.


- Sapa

http://www.fin24.com/articles/default/display_article.aspx?ArticleId=1518-24_2554526


he should be laughed out of court

'An increase of sub-standard ships'

September 28 2009 at 06:59PM

By Craig McKune

It has been "one of the worst winters ever" for shipping casualties on the SA coast, and maritime authorities have blamed the economic downturn, and pirates.

Seven ships - most in bad condition and with questionable insurance cover - have been wrecked, sunk, grounded or rescued at the 11th hour. A government tug had been dispatched on average thrice a week from the beginning of winter to stop vessels running aground in Table Bay, Samsa's Sobantu Tilayi said on Monday.

Samsa chief executive Tsietsi Mokhele said that struggling shipping companies were cancelling orders for new ships and were trading with ships that should have been scrapped. And because ships were avoiding pirates off the Somali coast, more were rounding the Cape than usual.

"There is generally an increasing trend of the sub-standard ships that we have seen throughout the period since the economic downturn," said Tilayi.

craig.mckune@inl.co.za

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=14&art_id=nw20090928185305915C451418

Gama to know his fate next week
Sep 30, 2009 11:22 PM | By KHETHIWE CHELEMU

Suspended Transnet chief executive Siyabonga Gama is expected to know his fate next Wednesday, when the court delivers judgment in his case.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gama, tipped to have taken over as the parastatal’s CEO, was suspended earlier this month following allegations of procurement irregularities against him.


He is alleged to have given a R19-million contract to a security firm that has links to Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/business/article133591.ece


I guess, if he gets off then the other guys will have to bow out, as they simply wont get on with a CEO who they challenged. Hmmm

Now that will leave a management gap of note at this entity.:ohno:

Shame.

PD.

sounds like a GAP for you to fill PD! :banana:

sounds like a GAP for you to fill PD! :banana:

dosh is alright, politics a bit heavy, nice work if you can get it, i would gladly sign a 3 year contract.

thanks:banana:

Judge disagrees with justice minister, says suspension decision a fair one.

Suspended Transnet executive Siyabonga Gama on Wednesday lost a court battle in which he attempted to challenge a decision taken by the board to suspend him and institute disciplinary proceedings against him.

Justice Brian Spilg ruled that the board had reasonable grounds to suspend Gama and its decision was based on the opinion of independent experts, including auditing firm Ernst & Young and two reputable firms of attorneys.

Gama has huge support among the ruling ANC. Ironically Justice Minister Jeff Radebe has himself criticised the decision to suspend Gama, alleging that it was unjust.

Write to Julius Cobbett: julius@moneyweb.co.za

http://www.moneyweb.co.za/mw/view/mw/en/page295025?oid=321909&sn=2009%20Detail&pid=287226

Incompetent people have no place at the top.

Re-train him and teach him how to be above board and influence of others, like me.:)
:cheers:
PD.

Judge disagrees with justice minister, says suspension decision a fair one.
Transnet executive Siyabonga Gama on Wednesday lost a court battle in which he challenged his suspension (check out all the court action in our gallery by clicking here). Judge Brian Spilg dismissed Gama's urgent application with costs.

Gama, CEO of Transnet's important Freight Rail division, was suspended in August. The decision to suspend Gama and institute disciplinary proceedings against him was taken by Pradeep Maharaj, Transnet's group executive for human resources. Maharaj's decision was endorsed by the Transnet board.

Gama is accused of presiding over tender irregularities, including the awarding of an R800m contract to Sibanye Trade Services to refurbish locomotives. He is also accused of exceeding his authority when he awarded a contract for R19m to a security firm with alleged links to communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda.

Gama hit back with allegations of his own. He accused acting Transnet group Chief Executive Chris Wells of being involved in irregularities, and conspiring to prevent Gama from rising to the post of Transnet CEO.

On Wednesday, Judge Spilg ruled that there was no evidence to suggest that Wells had tainted the decision of Maharaj.

He also noted that there were reasonable grounds to suspend Gama and institute disciplinary action. This was in fact recommended by independent experts, including auditing firm Ernst & Young, as well as two reputable firms of attorneys.

Gama enjoys huge support among the ruling ANC and its allies. Those who have come out in support of Gama include the ANC Youth League and union body Cosatu.

Ironically, Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, has himself criticised Gama's suspension, reportedly describing it as a "monumental injustice".

Judge Spilg also criticised the decision taken by Gama's legal team to join the entire Transnet board to his application. He noted that it would be necessary to join board members as respondents only in exceptional circumstances, and that Gama's team, which includes attorney Themba Langa and advocate Paul Kennedy, was unable to provide reasonable grounds for doing so.

Transnet issued the following statement in response to the ruling: "We are pleased that this public episode, which has been painful and disruptive to the business, is now behind us. It is important now to focus on service delivery. The disciplinary hearing, in relation to the chief executive of Transnet Freight Rail, will now take its course with an independent chairman."

Catch all the pictures at our gallery by clicking here

Write to Julius Cobbett: julius@moneyweb.co.za


COMMENTS
View disclaimer 12 responses to this article


Nice one
Hope the chop gets the chop. Seems our Justice mininster has some egg on his face.

by Reaper on October 07 2009, 11:23
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Gama Loses Court Battle
This is great news. I have no problem with him trying to challenge his suspension in a court of law as it is his right. but for him to thin that he is entitled to be CEO of transnet is a joke as he was not part of the shortlist. First turnaround . .more struggling Spoornet and only then should you be considered for CEO, that's if you do not get fired for corruption . .less

by Mzala on October 07 2009, 11:44
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Comrade
Dont worry I will defend my crony comrades, right or wrong, it is the African WAY !!

by Jeff Radebe II on October 07 2009, 11:56
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another...
lesson on why business and government(politics) should be far apart! what is jeff saying now!

by Meka on October 07 2009, 11:56
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Ag shame
another useless native gets his come uppance - but wait, he is not gone. It does not matter that he was legitimately suspended - he has maties in the ANC. Merit or ability are no match for ANC mindless support

by 1 on October 07 2009, 12:24
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RAMOS FALL GUY
Shame, baby face got nailed for that B****.

by Project Director on October 07 2009, 12:27
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Gama has wings
I shouldn't be amazed at Radebe's concerns about the unfairness that Transnet handed out to Gama, but then again he was forever launching pearl of wisdom when he ran (bungled is probably a better expression) the Transport Portfolio - we have him to . .more thank for the Road Accident Fund, Arrive Alive, e Natis and even the demerit driver systems.
He is a pathetic specimen of the human race . .less

by gcr on October 07 2009, 12:48
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The use of the word native by one respondent
I am personally happy that Gama has lost the case because nobody has any right to a position. His argument to begin with was flwaed. Having said that; Gama is no representative of the so-called Natives and therefoere his loss is no loss to the . .more natives but a loss to himself and tjhose aligned to him as an individual. The ANC is wrong to support an individual to an institution because it's no their perrogative to do so.

I hope that this is a lesson learnt. . .less

by Sdoz on October 07 2009, 12:57
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Dropped Jaw!
What never seizes to amaze is the blatant arrogance and holier-than-though attitude that these so-called bussiness leaders exhibit. This is effectively a thinly veiled corruption case. He was probably hoping to get reinstated on a typing error. But, . .more the court ruling is of no consequence really, his cronies will take care of him. Reason 1021 of 101010 to emigrate. . .less

by Token White Guy on October 07 2009, 13:25
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Surprised?
This knob will pitch up again. Maybe at the IDC or somewhere where he can give his ANC mates some tasty contracts. Does SARS have any knowledge or do they not give a shite as to where these larney ANC top dogs are getting money from.

by Fox on October 07 2009, 14:01
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Good Strong Judge
Imagine if THE VERY ONORABLE YOUR MAJESTY SH!T STIRRER SUPREME Judge Hlope had been on the bench.Just a matter of time.

by Krazy on October 07 2009, 14:42
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Julius Cobbert please get your facts right
The fact that ANCYL and COSATU supports Gama it does not mean the ruling party (ANC) supports Gama. JZ came out strongly about 2 weeks ago agianst the Sandton branch of the ANC that publicly supported Gama.

Gama was the preferred . .more candidate of the ANC before the suspension. ANC does not support GAMA in his court battles.

Jeff Hadebe's comments does not represent ANC's position. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. . .less

by Jojo on October 07 2009, 14:57

heres a issue

Transnet made 1.3 billion earnings on 13.6 billion revenue, WBHO made 2 billion on 10billion.

privatise the company please, this performance is pathetic.

http://www.transnet.net/Documents/TRANSNET%20WEATHERS%20THE%20RECESSION%20STORM.pdf

PD.

Incompetent people have no place at the top.

Re-train him and teach him how to be above board and influence of others, like me.:)
:cheers:
PD.


Interesting point you raise regarding being above board and i can agree with you on that. But one thing that makes me wonder here. Do we have facts that backs up the assertion that he is incompetent or is this one of the usual stereotypes we are so used to labeling every person who is not white? Just a thought. Care to share with us those facts, Mr Project Director?

How do you figure comparing a construction company to a transportation company?

They'll have different benchmarks in terms of what is healthy performance or not.. and anyway...

your figures for WBHO are wrong..

2009 - R14.7B Revenue - R882m headline earnings.

Please, as always PD, make sure of your facts before you go jumping on a bandwagon.

Interesting point you raise regarding being above board and i can agree with you on that. But one thing that makes me wonder here. Do we have facts that backs up the assertion that he is incompetent or is this one of the usual stereotypes we are so used to labeling every person who is not white? Just a thought. Care to share with us those facts, Mr Project Director?

WELL ITS A FACT THAT THE acting CEO is Mr Wells, not Mr Gama, and Mr Gama lost his court case against Mr Wells Company Transnet.

All seems black and white to me, or hard cold fact, or as clear as day is night or any other jingoism one may care to shoulder.

So in my book, Mr Gama is totally incompetent and should be re-trained at least, for a new roll.

However if he worked in my company he would have been held criminally responsible and made a example of.

:cheers:

PD.

How do you figure comparing a construction company to a transportation company?

They'll have different benchmarks in terms of what is healthy performance or not.. and anyway...

your figures for WBHO are wrong..

2009 - R14.7B Revenue - R882m headline earnings.

Please, as always PD, make sure of your facts before you go jumping on a bandwagon.

RIPPING THE RING OUT OF IT "large"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get a load of these reports,

WBHO, reports a 100 % increase in operating profit but damn operating conditions are tough they say, figure that one out.

WBHO diluted HEPS 1605.3c vs 1259.4c
I-Net Bridge Published:Sep 07, 2009

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Wilson Bayly Holmes Ovcon (WBO) on Monday reported a rise in diluted headline earnings per share to 1605.3 cents for the year ended June 2099 from 1259.4 cents a year ago.



Revenue was up 37% to 14.769 billion rand, while operating profit grew to 2.032 billion rand from 959 million rand a year ago.


A final dividend of 200 cents per share was declared, resulting in a total dividend for the year of 300 cents.


The results were achieved despite the difficult conditions in the construction sector. The operating margin slipped slightly from 8.3% last year to 7.1% reflecting the tighter conditions in the construction sector both at home and abroad.


Group chairman, Mike Wylie says he is pleased with a 27% increase in headline earnings, especially considering that headline earnings growth has exceeded 70% for the past three years - "the strength of WBHO never ceases to surprise me."


However, he sounds a note of warning that the procurement environment has become more difficult. Project finance is under pressure in both the public and private sectors and margins are tightening.


Nevertheless, he says WBHO, with its strong order book of 15 billion rand, a very strong balance sheet, including 4 billion rand in cash, and great client relations, is well positioned to tackle the difficult times ahead.


"We are pleased and relieved to find that Australia is managing the financial crisis better than many other Western countries and there are also signs that the resources market is improving," he notes.


Divisionally, the roads and earthworks division had an exceptional year with a 70% increase in turnover to 4.6 billion rand. The division is busy on a host of major projects - including a 1.9 billion rand portion of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project; the new King Shaka International Airport in Durban; a 700 million rand waterline replacement project for the eThekwini Metro; several large mining and infrastructure projects in Botswana, Ghana, Zambia, the DRC and Mocambique and a myriad other smaller projects in the mining and private sectors.


Wylie notes that the majority of the division’s order book for the current year has already been secured.


The building and civil engineering division, which is more reliant on the private sector, has been negatively impacted by the diminishing pool of development finance and the reduced global demand for commodities and resources. Nevertheless, the division increased its revenue to 10.2 billion rand - 4.7 billion rand of which was contributed by the Australian operation.


It has completed work on the new central terminal building at OR Tambo International Airport and the Morningside Shopping Centre and has commenced work on a number of shopping centres in Tshwane, Polokwane, Sandton, Rosebank, and the Eastern Cape. In addition, the division is still active on construction work at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane; the Moses Mabhida Stadium and King Shaka International Airport in Durban.


Offshore, WBHO’s Australian subsidiary, Probuild Constructions, once again had a good year increasing turnover by 51% to AUS$661 million. The company is active all over Australia - particularly in Melbourne, Victoria, where it has been awarded several building contracts in excess of AU$100m. Despite Australia being affected by the global economic slowdown, the division is looking to increase both turnover and profit in 2010 and starts the year with an order book of 93% of its budgeted annual turnover.


Sales in the company’s two property developments were slow because of the fall off in the real estate market. Nevertheless profit of 1.7 million rand was accrued by the division. Similarly, turnovers in the industrial division, where the group is invested in companies associated with steel pipe-making and ready-mix and quarrying operations, were also somewhat depressed because of the unfavourable economic climate.


Despite the difficult economic environment that exists in South Africa today, Wylie says he remains optimistic that WBHO will have another good year.

THEN, same day same paper, GAUTENG IE JOBURG is going bust


TRANSNET`s Headline earnings down 28% to R1,3 billion read above WBHO, UP 100% TO 2 BILLION.

WELL ITS A FACT THAT THE acting CEO is Mr Wells, not Mr Gama, and Mr Gama lost his court case against Mr Wells Company Transnet.

All seems black and white to me, or hard cold fact, or as clear as day is night or any other jingoism one may care to shoulder.

So in my book, Mr Gama is totally incompetent and should be re-trained at least, for a new roll.

However if he worked in my company he would have been held criminally responsible and made a example of.

:cheers:

PD.

You are not putting any facts that backs up your assertions that he is incompetent. Being passed up for an acting position, does not in anyway suggest that he is not competent,Its simply boardroom politics and we have so many examples of executives who are passed up for positions, decide to resign and go elsewhere and do well.

Neither does being alleged to have overstepped your authority in the award of contracts suggest that you are incompetent. Sure it deserves disciplinary action if its proved to be true. This happens all the time in corporate South Africa with contracts going to friends and family and we never hear of the CEO's being labeled as incompetent. I can think of several examples of so called "competent executives" in this regard especially in the mining sector where contracts for friends is so rife.

So until you back your claims by pointing out with absolute certainty why Gama is incompetent, i will consider your comments to be baseless and simply informed by your own prejudice. I bet half of the guys peddling this claim didn't even know who is Siyabonga Gama but they know he is definitely incompetent. :ohno:

You are not putting any facts that backs up your assertions that he is incompetent. Being passed up for an acting position, does not in anyway suggest that he is not competent,Its simply boardroom politics and we have so many examples of executives who are passed up for positions, decide to resign and go elsewhere and do well.

Neither does being alleged to have overstepped your authority in the award of contracts suggest that you are incompetent. Sure it deserves disciplinary action if its proved to be true. This happens all the time in corporate South Africa with contracts going to friends and family and we never hear of the CEO's being labeled as incompetent. I can think of several examples of so called "competent executives" in this regard especially in the mining sector where contracts for friends is so rife.

So until you back your claims by pointing out with absolute certainty why Gama is incompetent, i will consider your comments to be baseless and simply informed by your own prejudice. I bet half of the guys peddling this claim didn't even know who is Siyabonga Gama but they know he is definitely incompetent. :ohno:

:bash: my comments are based on all the newspaper clips that i attached, SO WHERE`s THE PREJUDICE.

Your not suggesting that a black man would predujice a blackman on skin color are you. :banana:OR, do you feel prejudiced in answering this part, as i suspect you will be now.

:cheers:

PD.



PD.

:bash: my comments are based on all the newspaper clips that i attached, SO WHERE`s THE PREJUDICE.

Your not suggesting that a black man would predujice a blackman on skin color are you. :banana:OR, do you feel prejudiced in answering this part, as i suspect you will be now.

:cheers:

PD.
PD.

Scan through the newspaper clips you posted and you will notice that the only one that mentions incompetence is the one you authored. Gama is facing disciplinary action for overstepping his authority in the award of contracts and this is what the court upheld. His competence or lack thereof has not been mentioned in any of the articles i have read. I happen to know his track record within TFR and i am not aware of such issues ever surfacing during his tenure at TFR. I bet you don't know anything about his track record. You just know for sure that he is incompetent. That is a form of prejudice.

Please base your claims on facts and simple logic. That is all i am asking of you. Then we can have an educated debate about this. Otherwise, its useless to argue with you on this.

The issue of a black man prejudicing another is irrelevant to this. Any person irrespective of their race, sex can have prejudice on another person on several grounds.

^^

Well done for working it all out for Mr Gama, can you get on to Mr J Dludlu and convince him to get a press release out telling all of us that it was a big mistake and i promise i will change my view, forethwith.

But as they say in my company, ask the right questions at the right time and everything should work out fine, seems to me and the national press he GAMA acted incompetently in the award of certain contracts. But not everyone is convinced, clearly.

Well there we have it, why didnt you just say that you had a different view, instead of having to check with me. No offence, just save yourself the bother for next time.

I am busy.:banana:


:cheers:

PD.

Another interesting article from iAfrica today :
I always knew Richards Bay was a biggie, but seems like it has a good future, with spin offs making RB a nice northern KZN industrial hub however, it is dependant on Transnets Rail infrastructure :ohno:

World's coal king
Article By: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:24
Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) has completed its R1.2-billion Phase V expansion project, pending finalisation of some necessary project contractual tasks.

In a statement on Friday, it said the 91 million ton terminal would commence operations on Saturday.

"This announcement cements RBCT's position as the single largest export coal terminal in the world," the statement said.

Raymond Chirwa, chief executive officer of RBCT, said South Dunes Coal Terminal, a major Phase V contributor, had already concluded its agreement with RBCT at the beginning of this month, while other contracts with new empowered shareholders had also been signed.

"Significantly, the integration of all new entrants will enable us to focus on our primary mission of providing a valued link on South Africa's coal exports to the benefit of our stakeholders."

While RBCT would be ready to receive coal and operate the terminal at 91 million tons per annum, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), which owns and operates the rail lines, had yet to ramp up its capacity to meet RBCT's targets.

"I am confident that Transnet has taken a positive step and is in the process of implementing necessary de-bottlenecking rail infrastructure projects in order to meet the export demand required by RBCT exporters in the shortest time," Chirwa said.

A total 61.14 million tons of coal was exported through RBCT in 2009 compared to a slightly lower tonnage received from TFR during the same year.

"With the operational integration and new infrastructural challenges behind us, we can now concentrate on the important job of providing efficient and reliable coal-exporting service to the benefit of all," Chirwa said.

British Nuclear Sub that visited Simons Town last month

dont know if this issue made major news, but compared to the furore that is kicked up by nuclear container ships etc rounding the coast, looks like the government acted quick to issue permits, safeguards etc and keep the relationships with other visiting Navies healthy

British Nuclear Submarine, HMS SCEPTRE, visits the Fleet
Article by Sea Tshegofatso Sehoole
Photos by PO Byron Lombard and AB Sthembiso Makuleni


On 6 April 2010, HMS SCEPTRE, a nuclear submarine from the British Royal Navy arrived in Simon’s Town. This is the submarine’s second visit to South Africa, the first visit was in 2007. The purpose of the visit is to advance mutual operating procedures between the ships and submarines of the British and South African nations.

HMS SCEPTRE’s visit is a contentious issue as an anti-nuclear pressure group, Koeberg Alert Alliance, urged that the submarine be kept out of South African waters. The pressure group fear that the nuclear reactor in the vessel might release radioactive particles, gas or other hazardous material due to technical fault or human error.


On the British Royal Navy’s behalf, the South African Navy (SAN) applied to the South African National Nuclear Regulator for permission for the submarine’s visit, which it acquired.

The OC of HMS SCEPTRE, Cdr S. Waller paid courtesy calls to Flag Officer Fleet, R Adm R.W. Higgs at Fleet Command Headquarters and Flag Officer Commanding, R Adm (JG) J.E. Louw at Naval Base Simon’s Town Headquarters in the afternoon. Accompanying the OC was Mrs H. Horn, Executive Assistant from the British High Commission, and Wing Commander C. Mitchell (Royal Air Force), Deputy Defence Adviser, and AB (British Navy) B. White.

Due to the concerns raised about the visit, the SABC requested an interview with Cdr Waller and R Adm Higgs. During the interview R Adm Higgs said that acquiring the appropriate authority was a thorough process where stringent conditions had to be met. He expressed his full confidence in the National Nuclear Regulator, which independently determined that HMS SCEPTRE had indeed met the conditions and granted her a nuclear license. He also stated that the SAN is glad for the opportunity to continue to foster good relations and engage in an exchanging of ideas with its British counterpart.


The OC of HMS SCEPTRE stressed that they would never embark on a visit if their vessel had defect or anything that could negatively impact the environment, and that there was no risk involved in allowing the ship into South African waters. Local inspectors were onboard the submarine on the morning of its arrival, and HMS SCEPTRE passed the inspection with flying colours. The OC said the main focus of the visit is extension of diplomatic relations and to give his ship’s company the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of this part of Southern Africa.

Characteristics of HMS SCEPTRE
Length: 82.9m

Beam: 9.8m

Draught: 8.5m

Displacement: 4900t

Number of Officers and men embarked: 13 Officers and 103 Ratings

Interesting Facts about Nuclear Submarines
Nuclear submarines are powered by nuclear reactors and have the following advantages over conventional (diesel-electric) submarines:

Nuclear Submarine Conventional Submarine
Nuclear propulsion frees the submarine from the need to surface quickly.


Air-dependent propulsion means need to surface regularly.

The large amount of power generated allows them to operate at high speed for long durations.
Limited power stored in electric batteries means that even the most sophisticated conventional submarine can only remain submerged for a few days at low speed and a few hours at top speed.

The long interval between refuelling grants a range limited only by consumables (food for the crew). Current generations never need to be refuelled throughout their 25yr life spans.
Limited by need to refuel.


Due to the high cost of nuclear technology, only a handful of countries have nuclear powered submarines.

The SAN has conventional Type 209 submarines, which are effective and efficient in defending and protecting the country. They can spend an average of 45 days unsupported and although they are limited by their need for diesel they however have the ability to refuel at sea.

The HMS SCEPTRE is 32 years old and belongs to the Swiftsure-class. It is the tenth nuclear fleet submarine to enter service with the Royal Navy. This was her last visit to South Africa as she is due to be decommissioned in December and replaced by the first Astute class submarine.

Follow the link below to read about the construction of the Submarine Escape Training School in Simons Towns West Dockyard.

Unfortunately this is the more historic quarter of the harbour. As the building composed a massive tank, and a 7 story shaft , there were objections as to the esthetic, and ugly/ utilitarian qualty. However, all objections were overturned as it was seen as being within a working harbour, and whats more, instrumental to the safety and success of SA's submarine program.

http://www.navy.mil.za/archive/1004/100412_sub_simulator/article.htm

It is pretty ugly, i have to admit lol

nuke sub in Sa and no one knew????

hahaha, yup, pretty much. A pitty none of them "particles" managed to wipe out a few of them pesky penguins, at least enough so that I can get my frikken beach back... even if it meant sporting a third nipple for the rest of my days! :naughty:

Interesting that the 2008, 2010 and 2012 editions of this will all be held in SA waters. the mid point thing i gather? Good to see this further synergy

India, Brazil, S Africa navies engage in joint exercises

Posted On: Sep 27, 2010

The Indian Ocean region off Durban is abuzz with activity as 11 ships of the navies of India, Brazil and South Africa engage in nautical exercises as part of the ongoing IBSAMAR Exercise.

CAPE TOWN (PTI): India, Brazil and South Africa, the three emerging economies which form IBSA, are engaged in hectic naval activities along the South African coast as part of a joint exercise aimed at achieving inter-operability and fostering synergy among them during maritime emergencies.

The second edition of the biennial IBSAMAR (India-Brazil-South Africa maritime) exercise with India as the lead country this year had kicked off on September 13 off the coast of Durban with the participation of four Indian warships, two from Brazil and five from the South African navy and will conclude here on Monday.

Briefing reporters on board SAS (South African Ship) Amatola frigate, which is being docked at the port here, Rear Admiral R K Pattanaik, Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet, Indian Navy, indicated that the IBSAMAR exercises may be held in India or Brazil at a later stage.

However, he made it clear that the third edition of IBSAMAR to be led by Brazil will be held in 2012 on the South African coast. The first edition of the IBSAMAR was held in 2008 and it was decided then to conduct them in South Africa only.

Indian Navy officials said the three navies were able to achieve whatever they had planned to do during the exercises which were aimed at developing inter-operability among the three navies so that they could carry out joint operations during times of need in the high seas.

They said this year's exercise was much more complex than the previous one.

During the fortnight-long exercises, the three navies conducted anti-air and anti-submarine warfares and also visit-board-search-seizure operations and anti-piracy drills to promote greater inter-operability and foster synergy among them.

Naval warfare manoeuvres such as fuelling in mid-sea were also conducted as part of the exercises and the ships which were docked at ports attracted a number of people, including Indians living in South Africa.

Pattanaik said the exercises were a great success and all the three navies will benefit from them.

"The three significant democracies of three continents (Asia, Africa and South America) have conducted the exercises very successfully. A lot of planning had gone into the exercises and we have been able to achieve whatever we had planned," he said.

Echoing Pattanaik's views, Admiral W Higgs of the South African Navy said the IBSAMAR-II saw a significant growth from the first edition.

Higgs said: "These are the countries of a new, new world. The world of today and tomorrow which is exemplified in their navies. These navies are well-equipped and are modern."

The 11 ships and frigates of the three navies are now docked at the port here for public viewing and other social programmes.

Over 1,500 naval personnel, including women and 150 officers of the Indian Navy took part in the exercises that coincided with the five-day Africa Aerospace and Defence expo in Cape Town.

The ships that participated in the IBSAMAR-II are Mysore, Tabar, Ganga and Aditya of the Indian Navy; Amatola, Spioenkop, Drakensburg, Charlotte Maxeke, Queen Modjadji-I and Galeshewe of the South African Navy and the Brazilian Naval Ship Niteroi.

The exercises conducted in six phases -- three at the ports of Durban, Port of Elizabeth and Cape Town and the rest in the sea -- also saw the participation of SAAB's Gripen, Hawk and Impala aircraft of the South African Navy.

Pattanaik said without "political backing" from the three countries, the exercise would not have been a success and thanked the South African Navy for hosting them at three ports in the country.

On whether the exercises will be conducted in India or Brazil, he said: "I cannot rule out the possibility of them happening either in India or Brazil. As of now, it has been decided to conduct them in South Africa."

Asked whether the crew of the three navies faced any difficulties in communicating with each other, Pattanaik said there was no problem as officers and personnel understand the traditional operations.

Indian Navy officials on board the ships also said it was a good opportunity to re-establish and further relations with the navies of the African continent in areas of training and passage exercises.

They said the professional skills and experiences which were exchanged during the fortnight-long interaction would help in enhancing the cooperation and understanding the nuances of combating maritime threats of terrorism and piracy.

The destroyer INS Mysore and the frigates INS Tabar and INS Ganga are equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, while the replenishment ship INS Aditya is capable of sustaining the warships for prolonged durations at sea.

The Indian Navy has already been conducting formal exercises annually with several foreign navies for several years, such as the Varuna series with the French Navy, the Indra series with the Russian Navy and the Konkan series with the UK's Royal Navy.

The visit here also demonstrated the Indian Navy's blue water capability to deploy, operate and sustain a maritime task force well away from home for an extended duration.

S.Africa's Transnet studying RBCT port expansion
Wed Sep 29, 2010 5:11pm GMT

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's logistics group Transnet said on Wednesday that it would this year complete a study to expand the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) and another port used for iron ore exports.

South Africa is a major exporter of coal to power stations in Europe and Asia, but coal exporters have criticised Transnet in the past for its failure to transport enough coal to the terminal due to bottlenecks on the rail line.

Transnet director for planning (ports) David Stromberg,

reiterated that private sector participation in expanding infrastructure would be needed as South Africa exports of coal and iron ore continue to rise.

"We are currently doing a study, which should be finished towards the end of this year," Stromberg told a ferro alloys conference in Johannesburg.

"Our future plans for Richards Bay is to expand the terminal beyond 81 million tonnes for coal," Stromberg said.

Transnet has been investing heavily in new and improved infrastructure, but is still far from meeting an expanded annual capacity at the RBCT of 91 million tonnes.

South Africa exported 61 million tonnes of coal last year, and Transnet said it could ship up to 65 million tonnes this year, despite a three-week strike that crippled ports and railways in May.

Stromberg said Transnet's expansion plans also included purchasing the old Durban airport from Airports Company of South Africa in order to expand the port of Durban and to increase handling capacity at its ports to handle larger vessels.

Stromberg said the company would increase capacity for iron ore exports at Saldanha port to 80 million tonnes a year and was also studying ways to build a 12 million tonnes per year manganese terminal.

Transnet is currently expanding the capacity on its iron ore line to 60 million tonnes from the current 44.7 million tonnes.

Companies in the coal sector include Anglo American, Xstrata, Optimum Coal and Exxaro.


http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE68S0L820100929?sp=true

Billions for harbours' revamp
Mar 14 2011 17:30

Durban - Transnet will invest R20.5bn over the next five years to improve capacity and maintain Durban and Richards Bay harbours, the parastatal said on Monday.

“We will put new cranes in port harbours because ships wait too long in both harbours,” CEO Brian Molefe said during a session with black professionals organised by Durban Invest.

The event was also attended by Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba and senior officials of state-owned enterprises.

Molefe said Transnet is working on a plan which will end congestion in Durban harbour. He said both harbours are using old cranes, while Cape Town has received new cranes in the past few years.

Improvements are essential because Durban has the biggest container terminal in Africa.

It is South Africa's premier container, vehicle and liquid bulk port and also provides ship repair, cruise liner, navy, fishing and recreational facilities.

Molefe said the changing of the former Durban International Airport into a dugout port would also help increase capacity.

“We are trying to acquire the site and we will start digging,” he said.

The old Durban International Airport was decommissioned in May when the new King Shaka International Airport was opened.

Molefe said South Africa has the highest performing logistics system among upper middle-income countries. The challenge was sustaining the performance and integrating the regional freight system.

Ports authority taking ‘activist’ stance to foster new private terminals
16th September 2011

TEXT SIZE The head of South Africa’s national ports authority has pledged to adopt a far more “activist” approach to the development of harbour infrastructure and terminal capacity “ahead of demand” and to do so in partnership with private sector investors.

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) CEO Tau Morwe told business leaders in Johannesburg on Friday that all new terminal capacity would be the subject of competitive bidding processes and that it was, thus, likely that most new terminal developments would be built by private companies.

“With the implementation of the National Ports Act, any new terminal that will be built will be put out on tender and the best tenderer will win,” Morwe, who moved from Transnet Freight Rail to TNPA less than six months ago, explained.

He acknowledged, too, that there had been too few terminals developed over the past few decades, with only the new container terminal at the Port of Ngqura, which was operated by Transnet Port Terminals, having emerged in recent times.

But several new projects, which would be built in partnership with the private sector, were at an advanced stage of development.

One of these was the development of a new multibillion-rand ship repair facility at the Port of Richards Bay, in KwaZulu-Natal.

Morwe expected the lease agreement to be finalised with the Imbani Consortium, which has strong Chinese participation, by year-end. The facility could involve an investment of some R4-billion.

However, there were a number of other near-term projects that would also be pursued in conjunction with the private sector.

Strategy and transformation executive Nico Walters indicated that one of the most advanced projects was the development of new liquid-bulk terminal capacity at the new deep-water harbour at Ngqura, in the Eastern Cape. This facility would need to be operational by 2014 to accommodate the planned relocation of the tank farm from Port Elizabeth to Ngqura.

There was also an initiative under way with cargo owners to expand the Port of Ngqura’s general cargo and dry bulk facilities and to add new liquid-bulk capacity at the Port of Cape Town.

Walters added that plans for a new liquefied petroleum gas terminal at Saldanha, in the Western Cape, were also progressing well.

R23BN PROJECT PIPELINE

Morwe said that TNPA itself planned to spend R23-billion over the coming five years on infrastructure to support the growth in terminals, but was also in the process of canvassing these projects with its customers to ensure that the investment was appropriate. The bigger Transnet group would spend R110-billion over the same period on port, rail and pipeline projects, but was also interrogating a seven-year capital investment window worth R320-billion.

The ports authority had also launched a study to compare South African harbour costs with those of its international counterparts and would use the result to inform its future investment strategies.

For now, the overall emphasis was to facilitate the growth of new private terminals and to more fully integrate the ports with the economic development and job creation plans of the surrounding cities and towns, from Port Nolloth, Saldanha Bay and Cape Town on the West Coast, to Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban and Richards Bay on the east.

TNPA was also keen to align the terminal investments with government’s Integrated Resource Plan for electricity, which envisaged some 7 330 MW being generated by open-cycle gas turbines and 2 370 MW by combined-cycle gas turbines by 2030. Such a plan could necessitate the creation of liquefied natural gas infrastructure, possibly at the ports of Ngqura, Richards Bay, or Saldanha.

Morwe was also keen for South Africa’s harbours to tap into the opportunity arising to service oilrigs that were increasingly being deployed for exploration, development and production of crude off the west coast of Africa.

Currently, these rigs mostly bypass South Africa and are refabricated in Asia. But TNPA was working with the authorities and private industry in the Western Cape to develop Cape Town and Saldanha into service hubs for the energy sector. There were currently rigs in for repairs at three South Africa ports and Morwe estimated the average economic spinoff from each rig repair at around R400-million.

“We need to think out of the box to create the terminals that can take advantage of these opportunities,” he said, adding that the focus should be on deploying the necessary infrastructure rather than agonising over whether the volumes would flow.

“We need to build the capacity and the volumes will follow,” he concluded.

R33bn upgrade for South Africa's ports

4 May 2012

Port operator Transnet Port Terminals will spend R33-billion (US$4.3-billion) over the next seven years on upgrading and expanding South Africa's ports, as part of a massive state-led infrastructure drive aimed at boosting the country's economic growth.

The R33-billion capital expenditure will form part of state-owned Transnet Group's R300-billion (US$39.1-billion) expenditure on port and rail capital projects until 2018/19.

Unveiling details of the expenditure in Durban on Thursday, Transnet Port Terminals CEO Karl Socikwa said Transnet's new market demand strategy "has major implications for our division's responsibility to facilitate unconstrained growth, unlock demand and create world-class port operations through improved efficiencies.

Boosting port competitiveness, efficiency

"It entails an acceleration of our capacity creation programmes at all our major terminals, to ensure that we are able to grow the economy and make the ports as competitive and efficient as possible," Socikwa said in a statement.

Seventy-one percent of the R33-billion spend will be on port expansion projects, while the remaining 29% will go towards "capital sustaining projects", including the replacement and refurbishment of equipment, Socikwa said.

The expansion projects will see major increases in the container handling capacity of the ports in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal and Ngqura outside Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.

Container handling capacity

Durban Continer Terminal's Pier 1 will see its capacity grow from 700 000 to 1.2-million TEUs by 2016/17, while its Pier 2 capacity will expand from 2.1-million to 3.3-million TEUs by 2017/18.

The Ngqura Container Terminal, which has been earmarked as a transshipment hub, will be expanded from 800 000 to 2-million TEUs by 2018/19.

Container capacity is also being created in other terminals, such as the Durban Ro-Ro and Maydon Wharf Terminal, through the acquisition of new equipment, including as mobile cranes, and various infrastructure upgrades.

Bulk handling capacity

The bulk handling capacity at Ngqura, Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal, and Saldanha in the Western Cape will also come in for major expansion.

R3.7-billion has been set aside for the ageing Richards Bay Terminal, with investments in mobile equipment, quayside equipment and weighbridges fast-tracked for 2012/13, and safety-critical, environmental and legal compliance projects also in the pipeline.

R1.2-billion will be spent on creating new capacity, including new storage areas, at Richards Bay, while Transnet also pursues the reengineering of the port to create additional capacity for bulk products at the terminal.

Saldanha's iron ore bulk facility, which has undergone significant expansion in recent years, will be further expanded, taking its capacity from 60 to 82 million tons per annum.

Additional manganese capacity will be created by relocating the existing, 5.5mtpa export facility in Port Elizabeth to a new two-berth manganese facility at the Port of Ngqura, boosting capacity to 12 million tons per annum from 2016/17.

SAinfo reporter

Read more: http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/infrastructure/ports-040512.htm#ixzz1ttf7CnxV

Molefe justifies high cost of SA ports

31 May 2012 21:01
Lynley Donnelly

Transnet CEO Brian Molefe has defended the high cost of South African ports, saying that charges by competitors are distorted by government subsidy.

“We are less competitive because of the distortions that are caused elsewhere by particular institutional arrangements,” Molefe said.

South Africa’s ports such as Durban are among the most expensive in the world, often costing more than competitors in the developed world. High port charges, coupled with a legacy of inefficiency, are seen as a contributing factor to the rising cost of doing business in South Africa.

But comparisons of port costs do not take into account the various institutional and financing arrangements that exist elsewhere in the world, said Molefe.

Local governments or municipalities owned many ports in other parts of the world and items such as their capital expenditure was budgeted and paid for at government level.

“The questions is are we also going to distort our prices through subsidisation by taking money essentially from the fiscus to subsidise the users of the port so that we can become more competitive,” said Molefe.

He was speaking at the annual meeting of the African Development Bank in Arusha, Tanzania.

Local ports received no subsidies from any sphere of government as they were owned, operated and paid for by Transnet, he argued.

“The costs that you see here reflect the cost of doing business,” said Molefe.

“If we were to adjust for the subsidies received elsewhere you would see our costs are not as high as they are made out to be.”

Molefe said that in the long run, Transnet’s model would benefit South Africa because as soon subsidisation became unaffordable, the prices of competing ports would sky rocket.

South Africa is ranked 28th in the World Bank’s logistics performance index, out of 155 countries. It comes in right behind China and is ahead of fellow Brics counterparts, Brazil, Russia and India.

Transnet was investing R300-billion into rail, ports and pipelines in the coming years, two-thirds of which would be funded off Transnet’s balance sheet.

“This is a more sustainable model,” said Molefe.

The company was also positioning itself to become a supplier of locomotives to the rest of the continent, in a bid to boost local industry.

He stressed that Transnet wanted to “fix what is broken in South Africa first”, by improving efficiencies, and upgrading existing infrastructure before it considered expanding operations into other regions of Africa.

Lynley Donnelly is in Arusha, Tanzania to attend the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank. She was flown there and accommodated by the AfDB.


http://mg.co.za/article/2012-05-31-molefe-justifies-high-cost-of-sa-ports