Transnet Port Terminals Eastern Cape accepts Top 50 Award

Transnet was recognised this month for their sterling work in the Eastern Cape region as a top Employer and Investor in the region.

General Manager of Transnet Port Terminal’s Eastern Cape region, Siya Mhlaluka, accepted the award for Top Employer and Long Standing Investor on behalf of the Transnet Group.

The inaugural Top 50 Awards were created by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to recognise and honour top Nelson Mandela Bay based companies for their confidence in the region, their commitment and contribution to job creation and sustainability, economic growth, increase in exports, investments and expansions.

“We are honoured to be recognised as one of the top 50 companies at these prestigious awards. TPT and Transnet are an integral part of the Eastern Cape region and the communities we operate in. As Transnet Port Terminals, not only do we employ 1200 people from the area at our terminals, but through the Market Demand Strategy (MDS) Transnet has also invested R1,1billion at the Ngqura Container Terminal in infrastructure and equipment to deliver an efficient service that has and will continue to boost terminal handling.

The result is that the terminal has ample capacity and ability to manage higher volumes across the various cargo types, which ultimately assists us in improving efficiencies and to better service our clients. Investment in infrastructure and growth of the economy are central to the South African Government’s New Growth Path and National Development Plan. However, Transnet also places great value on investing in our people through skills development to promote a high performance culture," stated Mhlaluka. Transnet Port Terminals [TPT] is a critical facilitator of cargo trade between South Africa and the rest of the world operating terminals in Port Elizabeth, Ngqura and East London in the Eastern Cape – among others across the country and in Africa.

According to the panel of business leaders and experts who selected the winners of this year’s Top 50 Awards, the companies honoured were those that have persisted in their commitment to the region, despite the current challenges of increasing costs and the global economic climate.

The awards are based on the municipality’s trade and investment strategy to retain and recognize investors, past and present, as well as companies which serve the city in terms of economic development and growth through driving competitive growth in key sectors and creating thousands of sustainable employment opportunities.

During the Awards ceremony that took place in Newton Park, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Executive Mayor, Dr Danny Jordaan, acknowledged the crucial role played by businesses to boost the economy and encouraged the business sector to keep investing in the metro in order to achieve the goals of eradicating poverty, unemployment, and inequality.

“We would like to congratulate all of you; your achievements bring forth the spirit of resilience, vision and action which is a living aspiration for all of us to attain,” Jordaan enthused.

TPT’s East London multipurpose terminal boasts the largest grain silo on the South African coastline but also consists of a RoRo terminal, break bulk and containerised cargo facilities. Established in 1963, the terminal currently employs over 120 people.

The Nqura Container Terminal (NCT) has been designed as a state-of-the-art transhipment hub, servicing traffic from the East, South America, and West African markets. The deepest container terminal in Southern Africa, employs over 800 employees.

Image: Sithembiso Soyaya (TPT Corporate Affairs),  Mpumi Dweba (Ngqura Port Manager: TNPA), Danny Jordaan (Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor),  Siya Mhlaluka (TPT Eastern Cape GM) holding the award and Xola Mkontwana (TNPA Business Strategy).