The Cape Chamber of Commerce is leading a push to classify key South African ports as essential services in a bid to protect trade from strike action.
The move follows a three-week strike that brought exports to a standstill in May 2010 and means that a skeleton staff would have to remain in place in the Ports of Cape Town and Durban to ensure that they keep running.
The Cape Chamber of Commerce joined forces with its counterpart in Durban and requested information about losses from each industry that uses the ports following last year’s action and submitted them to the Essential Services Commission in December 2010.
Sandra Baetsen from the Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum said: “There might be limited staff only, which still causes delays yet the port won’t come to an absolute standstill like in 2010.
“We hope to have an answer before May, when the volumes of citrus start building up at the Port of Durban.”
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