Melanie Veness: Business offers to buy port equipment to end backlog crisis

The private sector has offered the pay for much needed equipment to resolve the massive backlog at South African ports. Melanie Veness, the Chair of the Association of South African Chambers, tells BizNews that this is one of the proposed interventions to end the crisis that “is destroying our economy”. She says: “…it’s in our interest to do it… it's not a great scenario, but it is where we are. And we would rather step up and buy the equipment and get the ports operating than live with the situation that we currently have. So, we’ve got to get it right. That's the bottom line, or we all don't survive.” The drastic move comes from a “gatvol” private sector: “…we are saying that it's gone on long enough. We cannot continue any longer. We've reached crisis point now. We are very happy to play a significant role in resolving this crisis.”