ASSOCIATIONS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Latest updates from the CGA
By Justin Chadwick, CEO of the Citrus Growers Association
At the start of the 2020 season we realised that there would be some difficulties in 2020; as we entered
harvesting, and COVID-19 became a reality, more headwinds were experienced.
The CGA COVID-19 response
committee identified as a high risk
area the fact that workers would
become ill, putting pressure on
operational performance. This was to be
the case on farms, in packhouses,
transport, cold stores and at the ports.
These expected challenges have put
incredible pressure on all in the supply chain.
The past few have seen some unexpected
challenges too; the diesel shortage caught
us by surprise (and is hopefully in the process
of being resolved). Added to this, the
lawlessness of truck drivers as they resorted
to criminal activities – and government’s
inability to secure the safety of those who
wanted to get on with their jobs.
The South African economy is essentially
on life support – and these activities put it
one step closer to the grave. It is time to
take the strongest possible actions to stop
all criminal behaviour. As a result of the
strike many loads have not been able
to be dispatched to the port – this will
cause congestion once the loads start to
flow again.
CGA MEETS WITH PROVINCIAL
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTS
In early July, CGA Directors George Hall
and Gerrit van der Merwe joined CGA staff
members Justin Chadwick and Mitchell
Brooke, and CGA GDC GM Lukhanyo
Nkombisa in a video conference call with
Minister Ivan Meyer, Dr Sebopetsa Mogale
(Head of Department), and Jeremia
Aries, Daniel Johnson and Marietjie
van Jaarsveld of the Western Cape
Department of Agriculture.
The discussion honed in on the major
opportunities and challenges facing the
citrus industry in the province. High on
the agenda was the ongoing problems
at Cape Town port, which is not only
on Minister Meyer’s list of priorities, but
also that of the economic cluster in the
province. Discussions then turned to trade
– and the growth opportunities in the soft
citrus sector in the Western Cape.
Minister Meyer outlined government’s
plan to increase fruit exports from the
province by 5% – the citrus sector can
play a prominent role in meeting this
target – one enabler that is essential
is government’s role in accessing new
markets and optimising present market
access conditions.
Transformation is naturally high
on both governments and industry’s
agenda – and there was meaningful
discussion on how to ensure that growth
in the province is inclusive. The agenda
also included discussions on rural crime
and security, humanitarian aid and
industry and provincial government’s
response to COVID-19.
In a further engagement, members
were joined by CGA Directors Ben
Vorster, Piet Engelbrecht, Jan Louis
Pretorius, Bennet Malungane, Guy
Whitaker and Tommie Landman when
CGA held a video conference with
the HOD of Limpopo Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development
Jackie Maisela and members of her staff
– TL Mathobo, CV Ndlozi, MW Moeng, JJ
Mkhari and KA Tshikomolo.
The Department shared with the CGA
their Revitalization of Agriculture and Agri
Processing Value Chain plan – which
is completely aligned with CGA’s own
vision for the citrus sector. The meeting
provided an opportunity to delve into
some of the factors inhibiting growth in
the province – such as logistics, ports
and market access; as well as to delve
deeper into the roles that we can play in
driving inclusive growth in the province.
There were a number of follow-up actions
that were identified – the start of a close
relationship in the future.
TRANSNET PORT TERMINALS (TPT)
BRINGS ON VELILE DUBE AS CHIEF
EXECUTIVE
Velile Dube is a well-known figure to
those close to TPT, he has served in
various roles across the port terminals.
CGA held a teleconference call last
week with Louis von Zeuner, Velile Dube
and the container terminal managers
across all the ports. Velile outlined his
plan for TPT going forward and he has
already made sweeping changes.
Something which we believe to be
positive is the fact that each terminal
manager will be at the centre of that
terminal’s functioning and performance.
All activities will be directly accountable
to the terminal manager, where previously
many core functions were centralised;
such as maintenance of machinery and
equipment. Five key elements are at the
centre of terminal performance, and all
these functions need to be suitably in
place for a terminal to achieve high levels
of performance:
1. Management: Aside from Cape
Town Container Terminal and Cape
Town Multipurpose terminals having
acting terminal managers, we are
very confident in the abilities of the
current terminal managers at all the
ports container terminals.
Fresh Fruit Portal
Collaboration from engagements with various provincial governmental representatives has
shown promise over recent months.
2. Machinery and equipment: We
understand that machinery and
equipment is ailing at just about
all the container terminals due to
historically failing procurement
and ailing maintenance. TPT are
on the warpath to change this
with a massive procurement and
maintenance drive across all
terminals to boost machinery and
replace those that are ailing. Having
the terminal managers at the core of
this will see things change drastically.
3. Human resources: The HR function is
another aspect that Velile outlined
will be decentralised and taken
back to terminal level, another very
positive move. All staff at terminals
need to have the correct skills and
training to be in those positions and
need to be conditioned about the
need for high levels of productivity.
4. Processes: A core aspect of terminal
functionality that leads to high
productivity is good operational and
planning processes. After all, if you
fail to plan properly, you plan to fail
properly. CGA has motivated for
an integrated systems approach to
connect all stakeholders in the chain
involved in importing and exporting
of containers to be connected
to a central online platform – this
will allow TPT to move towards a
pull approach from a previously
disastrous push approach.
5. Infrastructure: Something that we see
across most highly efficient container
terminals is good infrastructure.
From landside access in and out of
terminals, as well as the design of
the yard configuration and quayside
layout. The only container terminal in
South Africa that actually replicates
the design and configuration
aspects of highly efficient terminals
is that of the Ngqura Container
Terminal (forgoing the aspect of the
wind and swell effects that impact
the ports productivity). The access
into and out of NCT, the design
layout and yard configuration is
probably the closest to replicate
efficient terminals.
Durban Pier 2 has unfortunately a very
poorly designed quayside and landside
configuration. To quote a well-known
port consultant: “The road access
into and out of Pier 2 is totally unfit for
purpose”. Let us not despair though as
Transnet have commissioned a Durban
port decongestion committee focused
on resolving this matter.
Outlined in the engagement with TPT
is the fact that over the past three citrus
seasons, exports have been heavily
impacted by operational problems
at the container terminals – Durban in
2018, Ngqura and PE in 2019 and now
Cape Town in 2020 (although it needs to
acknowledged that the latter very much
associated with the impact from COVID-19).
WORLD CITRUS ORGANISATION
(WCO) GOING FROM STRENGTH
TO STRENGTH
In July 2020, the WCO held a members’
meeting with almost fifty delegates
representing sixteen citrus-growing
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www.coldlinkafrica.co.za COLD LINK AFRICA • September 2020