The appointment of Portia Derby as new group executive of Transnet has been met with equal parts enthusiasm, support, and cautious reservation by several representatives of the freight industry.Bruce Lovemore, joint CEO of machine moving and rigging company, Lovemore Bros, referred to the announcement late last Friday as a “blessing in disguise”.Unfazed by the fact that Derby was married to Brian Molefe, disgraced former CEO of the freight and rail parastatal who has been implicated as a principal corruptor who colluded with the Gupta brothers, Lovemore said it was her credentials and integrity that mattered most.“It’s encouraging to see that they have appointed someone who has experience in the industry.”She was previously director-general of the Department of Public Enterprises, and is therefore perceived to have the right credentials.“One of the fundamental f laws that we have seen over the last few years is the loss of experienced people. We lost people with good technical and executive skills and it’s been a terrible mistake. “Thankfully, with the appointment of Andre de Ruyter taking over at Eskom and people like Shamila Batohi heading up the National Prosecuting Authority, we are increasingly seeing the right people filling key positions – and it’s happening across the board.”Peter Besnard, CEO of the South Africa Association of Ship Operators and Agents (Saasoa), was a little more circumspect.“I don’t know too much about her and can’t say for sure whether she’s the right person for the job. What I do know is that she seems to be the kind of person who gets things right. She has also made it quite clear that she won’t let her previous relationship with Mr Molefe stand in the way of his possible ar rest.”But the proof will be in the pudding, Besnard said.Recalling several high-level meetings held last year where the likes of Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and even President Cyril Ramaphosa were frequently involved in a private sector-led bid to address issues experienced around the Port of Durban, Besnard said it was time for real action.“We’re experiencing massive delays at our port where ships are at anchorage for six to seven days and when they finally manage to dock there are other reasons why lines can’t off load as fast as they should.“Michelle Phillips, the SOC's general manager for customer growth and freight solutions, has said it will take around 18 months to turn things around in Durban and we can only hope that the heads at Transnet come to the party and do whatever is necessary to resolve the capacity challenges.”Outright criticism of Derby’s appointment came from one source, as far as FTW could determine – the EFF.The red berets said Derby should still be prosecuted for an allegedly corrupt business venture she shared with a former minister of public enterprises, Alec Erwin, involving a multi-million rand coal deal.The contract though, issued to a company called Ubu Logistics that was reportedly owned by Erwin and Derby, never came to fruition.
INSERT: Its encouraging to see that they have appointed someone who has experience in the industry.– Bruce Lovemore
