State-owned freight utility Transnet on Friday said productivity at its affected ports was returning to normal and estimated that it would take two weeks to clear the backlog at the Ngqura container terminal.
This follows after the company last week secured a court interdict against an unprotected strike at the Ngqura port and go-slows by employees at some of its other ports.
Transnet confirmed that operations had also improved at the Durban container terminal and the Cape Town port where employees had gone on a go-slow.
The unprotected strike related to the payment of a short-term incentive and other related matters such as equipment failure and transport.
To date, Transnet had suspended 13 employees for misconduct that took place during the strike.
“The illegal industrial action had a negative impact on customers, particularly the agricultural and automotive industries. Transnet is engaging continuously with customers to address backlogs.
“Similarly, vessel owners and operators servicing the container industry have also been impacted and Transnet continues to engage with them to prioritise cargo,” the utility stated on Friday.
Transnet acting group CE Mohammed Mahomedy is conducting sessions at Ngqura, Cape Town and Durban to highlight the need to improve operational performance.
The company had set up national and regional command centres to monitor port operations and improve operational efficiencies.