‘Greens’ continue to hold back Cape terminal extensions

‘No show’ Ramos disappoints exporters
RAY SMUTS
DISAPPOINTMENT was palpable when the sizeable crowd that turned out last week to hear Transnet CEO Maria Ramos address the Cape Town chapter of the Exporters’ Club learnt she was unable to attend. Club chairman, Terry Gale, explained Ramos could not make the event as she had been called upon to attend a function on behalf of public enterprises minister Alec Erwin. Standing in for Ramos was Sue Lunne, general manager for policy and research at Transnet, who has only been with the organisation since February. Her theme for discussion was ‘Transnet: Lowering the cost of doing business in a growing economy’, most of the facts and figures previously published by FTW. Questioned on why it was taking environmental affairs and tourism minister, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, so long to announce a Record of Decision on the proposed NPA/Sapo stack extension of the Cape Town Container Terminal, Lunne was also at a loss to explain the delay. “Well, I have been trying to find out,” she told FTW. She did say, however, that should Van Schalkwyk’s decision go against the project, other alternatives such as Saldanha would have to be sought for handling containers. At week’s end, Billy Cilliers, NPA port planning manager in Cape Town, told FTW: “The NPA has received a positive ROD (November 12, 2004) for the CTCT which is subject to an appeal procedure as per environmental legislation. “One appeal has been received and the minister (department of environmental affairs and tourism) has to make a decision as to whether to uphold the ROD in light of the appeal. The NPA has not received any feedback to date on the status of this issue.”