SA maritime industry network launch just the tool for sector’s much needed rapid development: Govt, business.

_{Leadership of South Africa’s newly established Maritime Industry Development Task Force Network (MIDTSN) during formal launch of the private sector initiated formation in Durban on Thursday, 11 August 2022. (Photo: SAMSA File)}

Pretoria: 20 August 2022

The launch in South Africa of a private-sector driven Maritime Industry Development Task Force Network (MIDTFN) could prove to be just the most appropriate step needed currently to inject much desired positive impetus on the country’s blue economy strategy outlined through the Operation Phakisa (Oceans Economy) government programme launched all of eight years ago.

Precisely, the country’s Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy (CMTP) implementation by the Department of Transport and through which as much as R177-billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution could be unlocked in the maritime sector alone, and with it, the creation of close on a million jobs in the next decade, will need it.

At least that is the view of the more than three dozen maritime industry practitioners, business leaders and related whose ‘task forces’ representatives graced the launch event at Durban port’s upmarket MSC cruiseliner passenger terminal, along with senior officials of the Department of Transport and others a week ago.

*_{Top leadership the MIDTFN (From Left) Capt. Makhosi Mbokwazi (Second deputy President), Mr Prasheen Maharaj (President) and Mr Lindani Mchunu (First deputy President).}*

Leading the private sector task forces grouping under the MIDFT Network umbrella body was its first president, Mr Prasheen Maharaj (Sandock Austral), deputies Mr Lindani Mchunu (V&A Waterfront) and Capt. Makhosi Mbokazi (Transnet National Ports Authority), along with Department of Transport (DoT) Chief Director for Maritime Policy and Legislation, Mr Dumisani Ntuli.

*_{Mr Dumisani Ntuli, Chief Director: Maritime Policy & Legislation. Department of Transport}*

The goal of the formation of the network, according to both the network and the DoT is to provide a platform upon which the country’s maritime economic sector can combine seamlessly to form a social compact in execution of efforts towards rapid development of the country’s maritime industry which, by their own admission; lacks desired progress.

To ensure appropriate, equitable representation of all involved and interested, according to Mr Maharaj, the Network is a collective of work streams or ‘task forces’ representative of several subsectors for each of private sector identified priority investment and development areas in the country’s maritime industry.

During launch of the network in Durban on Thursday, 11 August 2022; six of these task forces – all led by private sector appointed representatives – were already in existence and operational.

Collectively, the network will serve as a conduit for joint effort and collaboration with Government and other maritime economic sector stakeholders in South Africa and abroad to drive investment and business development while contributing to resolution of the country’s triple challenges of inequality, unemployment and poverty.

The six streams so far comprise;

a Maritime Industry Value Chain Task Force championeed by Mr Durand Naidoo, chief executive officer of Lisen Nambi Group of Companies,
a Maritime Industry Space Solutions Task Force championed by Ms Nokwanda Mkhize (researcher at Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone) and Mr Imraan Saloojee (executive director of The Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability [RIIS]),
a Maritime Industry Ship Repair Hub Task Force championed by Mr Karl Wiesner (Managing Director of the Sandock Austral Defense Engineering System [SADES]),
a Maritime Industry Human Resources Task Force championed by Mr Nceba Mfini (Human Resources Executive at AMSOL),
a Maritime Industry Scaling Up through industry-wide collaborations Task Force (MSuC-TF) championed by Dr. Nandipha Siwahla-Madiba (Non Executive Director of Freight Logistics South Africa), and
a Maritime Industry Decarbonisation through Renewable Energy Task Force (MDtRE)-TF championed by Mr Thomas Roos (Senior Research Engineer at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research [CSIR])

In addition, the network works closely with a Maritime Industry Communication Forum.

In order to preserve clarity of messaging, in addition to capturinng the network launch proceedings as best as ambience conditions allowed in the huge cruiseliners’ passenger terminal hall, this blog also conducted interviews with both Mr Ntuli (DoT) as well as Mr Maharaj.

In the seperate interviews, they fully outlined both the purpose of the network and its anticipated impact on the Operation Phakisa (Oceans Economy) programme as well as its underlying policy framework under the DoT’s Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy.

Curiously, what came out of both was a common message that neither government nor the private sector can do it alone. The country’s ailing maritime economic sector needs both to realise meaningful development through increased investment.

To listen to the interviews click on the videos below.

_{Mr Dumisani Ntuli. Chief Director: Maritime Policy & Legislation. Department of Transport}

_{Mr Prasheen Maharaj, SA Maritime Industry Development Task Force Network president.}

For each of the respective officials (Mr Ntuli and Mr Maharaj’s on stage presentations, click on the videos below.

_{Mr Dumisani Ntuli’s main address}

_{Mr Prasheed Maharaj’s main address}

_{Network First Deputy President Mr Lindani Mchunu’s address unpacking the composition of the Task Forces}

The four Task Forces champions present at the launch event, also shared a few insights. To view and listen, click on the respective videos below.

_{Mr Thomas Roo}s

_{Mr Karl Wiesner}

_{Mr Nceba Mfini}

_{Dr Nandipha Siwahla-Madiba}

End

Close engagement and collaboration, key to SA maritime sector growth: industry players

Pretoria: 16 February 2021

Continued engagement and close collaboration remain the key ingredient to redevelopment and growth of the South African maritime economic sector, according to industry players.

This was restated by virtually all invited guests to this year’s SAMSA Annual Stakeholder Event held on the eve of the Government’s State of the Nation Address that marks the opening of the country’s Parliament on Thursday last week.

With South Africa still bogged down under the hard grip of the Covid-19 pandemic, SAMSA’s event last Wednesday evening was held virtually online and for the reason, attracted more people than ever before, as it was also streamed live on social media platforms.

Ms Nthato Minyuku. Chairperson: SAMSA Board of Directors

This blog reported on Thursday on the remarks of the SAMSA Board of Directors perspective of the country’s maritime economic sector development currently and the role that SAMSA, a state agency under the Department of Transport continues to play along with its current strategy going forward. This was contained in remarks made by the Board’s chairperson, Ms Nthato Minyuku

In this report, packaged with video remarks of all the speakers that participated, we aim to present the full version of South Africa’s industry players’s views and responses on a whole range of issues concerning, affecting and impacting the country’s maritime economic sector. and central to whose key message was the need for continued close engagement and collaboration in the sector.

Among the issues, predictably, the outbreak and impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in December 2019, and first experienced in the country from about February 2020, was top most. According to all speakers, the disruptive effect of the pandemic was felt by everyone but especially seafarers and whose struggle with it continues. Emerging strongly in this regard was the high level of cooperation experienced between industry and SAMSA in seeking to ensure alleviation of some of the pressing challenges that faced and continue to face seafarers.

Maritime industry participants, allocated per subsector, featured on topics that ranged from maritime law and regulations review – or poor lack thereof -; maritime education, training and skills development; shipping trends inclusive of South Africa’s plan for rescucitation of a domestic shipping fleet, to current and future ports regulations and plans, seafarers development and challenges, as well as oil and gas industry perspectives and matters affecting fishing.

Also outlined were SAMSA’s strategic objectives over the next five to 15 years within both the context of the country’s Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy under the Department of Transport as well as the agency’s legislated mandate of ensuring safety of life and property at sea, prevention and combating of pollution from ships and promotion of the country’s maritime interests.

The Department of Transport rounded up the presentations.

The video clips – and whose quality is disappointingly poor largely due to an online video feed that suffered low grade relay – are arranged in the order of 13 of the 14 speakers participating on the day – led by introductory remarks by (now former) SAMSA Acting CEO Mr Sobantu Tilayi. The duration ranges between 4m 30 sec to 15 minutes, with the biggest number averaging under 5 minutes.

South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA). Acting CEO: Mr Sobantu Tilayi

Industry responses and remarks

Legal Fraternity: Mr Andre Pike. Head: Ports, Transport and Logistics. Bowmans

Ports Regulator SA: Ms Johanna Mulaudzi. CEO

Shipping: Mr Andrew Millard, Director, Vuka Marine

Shipping: Mr Ross Volk, Managing Director, MSC Cruises SA

ShipOwners: Mr Peter Besnard. SAASOA

Maritime Manufacturing: Ms Sefale Montsi: Chairperson

Oil & Gas: Mr Mthozami Xiphu. Chairman

Academia: Mr Odwa Mtati. CEO: SAIMI

Fishing SA: Mr Loyiso Phantshwa Chairman

Seafarers Association: Mr Kevin Watson. President: SAIMENA

Maritime Risk: Mr Paul Mclons. CEO: AMSOL

Department of Transport: Ms Tsepiso Taoana-Mashiloane. Director: Maritime Industry Development

End

SA’s top economist Dr Iraj Abedian warns Cape maritime high school pupils against ‘culture of instant gratification’.

Dr Iraj Abedian, of South Africa’s top economists who is CEO of Pan-African Capital Holdings as well as Chairman of Amsol board of directors, flanked by three of about a dozen Simon’s Town School Lawhill Maritime Centre matric pupils who who received awards in recognition of their academic performance at the school on Thursday.

Cape Town: 14 October 2018

South Africa’s youth would be well-advised to learn to be patient in their pursuit of success both in their school and tertiary level studies through to their working lives while steadfast in their ethical conduct, Dr Iraj Abedian, one of South Africa’s top economists told dozens of foundation level maritime studies pupils in Simon’s Town.

DSC_7835 (2).JPG He was the main guest speaker at an awards event at the Simon’s Town School Lawhill Maritime Centre on Thursday evening during which top pupils were given recognition for their excellent performance in their maritime school studies and related performance during 2018.

Prior to addressing guests and pupils at the event, Dr Abedian assisted in handing out a number of awards to the top performing pupils.

Later in a speech titled: The Road Ahead in the Age of Disruption, and lasting about half an hour, Dr Abedian enumerated four of what he described as some key factors of success through hard work drawn from his own personal professional experience and which he said the pupils would be well advised to note and heed.

These were, he said: “commitment to excellence, patience, (a set of) clear core values and commitment to ethical practice, and a conscious embrace of uncertainty with enthusiasm.”

According to Dr Abedian, disruption was a constant and it needed to be embraced in the pursuit of success, and success, he said, was ‘not a destination but a journey’ requiring patience complimented by a conscious effort towards proper ethical conduct instead of a desire for instant gratification often characterized by bad behavior.

“In every corner of our lives, we see disruption. Disruption is not always bad. Very often it’s good, but the way we interpret it, we make it negative or positive,” he said.

Dr Abedian said the pupils had every reason to be grateful to their parents, the school as well as all those that supported them during and an important phase of their education journey, the foundation phase.

He said: “The acquisition of knowledge is a necessary condition for success. As if often said, success is not a destination but a journey, a journey of incremental accumulation of successes. In this journey, commitment to excellence is an important companion.This has to be a benchmark of your professional life.

“In addition to hard work and commitment to excellence, the next contributing factor to success is patience. I say this with a great concern in how today’s world of rampant pressure for instantaneous gratification, and unbridled pursuit of rapid accumulation of wealth in particular, as well as the ostentatious public display of opulence of wealth remains a great concern,” he said.

SHARING NOTES: (From Left) Mr Odwa Mtati, Projects Manager at South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI), Ms Nthabiseng Tema, senior manager, Corporate Affairs at South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) chatting briefly with Dr Iraj Abedian shortly before his main address of the awards event at Lawhill Maritime Centre on Thursday.

Dr Abedian said South African society currently was suffering from the latter culture of instant gratification and dominant to which was a penchant for corruption and fraud, as evidenced, he said, by a daily litany of corruption and fraud stories emanating from both the country’s private and public sectors as well as civil society.

For Dr Abedian’s full remarks, click on the video below.

Meanwhile, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) – a long term supporter of the Lawhill Maritime Centre mainly through bursaries for mostly disadvantaged children keen on maritime studies at foundation level – joined several other entities, individuals and families this year in granting tertiary level bursaries to two pupils of the school in recognition of their excellence school performance.

The recipients were final matric year pupils Thabiso Rantsho and Sinazo Viti.

REWARDING EXCELLENCE: Two recipients of SAMSA’s first tertiary level bursary awards at Lawhill Maritime Centre on Thursday evening: Thabiso Rantsho (Left) and Sinazo Viti (Right) flanked by (far Left) Ms Nthabiseng Tema, senior manager, Corporate Affairs and (far Right) Mr John Phiri, senior manager, Human Capital.

Presenting the SAMSA awards, human capital senior manager John Phiri who with Corporate Affairs senior manager Ms Nthabiseng Tema presented the awards, warned the pupils that discipline in their studies was also a key determinant factor to their success as the maritime sector, but particularly seafaring, was not for the fainthearted.

According to Mr Phiri, several former student and cadets that SAMSA sponsored in the past were now sitting at home without jobs due to lack of discipline he described as characterized by an undue and misplaced sense of entitlement.

For Mr Phiri’s full remarks, click on the video below.

End.

Marooned Enkovukeni community in KZN gets five boats from Govt: DoT/SAMSA

Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga (Second Left) with senior officials of entities involved in the joint initiative, among them SAMSA and Amsol, to assist the marooned community of Enkovukeni at Umhlaba’uyalingana in northern KwaZulu-Natal with water transport while feasibility studies continue on the possibility of erecting a permanent bridge across the estuary on which the community is settled on an island.

Jozini: 17 July 2018

The marooned community of Enkovukeni at Umhlab’uyalingana in northern KwaZulu-Natal is finally breathing easy after receiving a total five motorized boats on Monday, handed over to the Inkosi Tembe by the Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga.

The boats – all ready to be operated by newly trained skippers from the community who were previously unemployed youths – are a product of a joint initiative between the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) supported by the Department of Transport (DoT) and private sector companies, among them shipping group, Amsol as well as the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board.

Transport Department Deputy Minister, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga (in black outfit) and some senior government officials at provincial and local government level in KwaZulu-Natal, as well as SAMSA acting CEO, Mr Sobantu Tilayi on board a boat donated by private sector companies to the water-locked community of Enkovukeni at Umhlabuyalingana on the north coast of KwaZulu Natal on Friday

It’s a joint initiative that began as the Enkovukeni Outreach Project three years ago as a gesture of goodwill in the spirit of the Nelson Mandela International Day, sparked by an outcry from the Enkovukeni community after it was trapped for months, unable to move, following heavy rains that swell waterways that make up part of the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park that is a World Heritage Site in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

The first of the five boats (in pictures above) was handed to the community in 2016, followed a while later by another, donated by the KwaZulu-Natal provincial Department of Education.

Private sector partners, Amsol on hand to witness the handover of boats to Enkovukeni Community in 2018

On Monday afternoon during a very wet rainy day – and a day ahead of Tuesday’s reopening of schools towards which children from the about 250 households that make up the village have to daily wade through waist deep water – the community was handed over the last three of the five boats that are intended to assist it with water transport while broader efforts are continuing to establish the feasibility of erecting a permanent bridge in the area.

Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga

According to Ms Chikunga at the ceremony on Monday, the building of a permanent bridge across the estuary would be an ideal solution but this would require extensive consultations among several government departments and other affected or interested entities.

From a financial perspective she said, current estimates indicated that it would be a highly expensive exercise largely due to the character of the landscape of the area.

She urged the community to actively engage in the exercise in two ways; first by ensuring it was represented in tasks teams shouldered with responsibility for the feasibility studies, but also in embarking on entrepreneurial initiatives that will financial support pursuit of its aspirations.

“These boats that we are handing over to you today, are not Government or anyone else’s property but your property as a community and which you must protect and preserve as best you can in your own interest. But in addition, you must find ways in which you will raise funds to maintain them with fuel as well as all other necessary repairs,” she said.

For a full address by Ms Chikunga, click on the video below.

For a full background story on the Enkovukeni project, Click Here and Here

Deputy Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga hands over blankets and more boats to Enkovukeni community in KwaZulu Natal

Meanwhile, as part of the Nelson Mandela International Day celebration that begun on Sunday this week, Ms Chikunga handed the elderly in the area with blankets as well as dozens of pairs of shoes for school going children.

End.