President Cyril Ramaphosa inaugurated the Newlyn Park Bayhead Rail Terminal in Durban. This development is seen not only as a vital enhancement to the nation’s logistics infrastructure but also as a symbol of South Africa’s resilience and determination to bounce back from adversity.
During the launch event held on Thursday in Durban, President Ramaphosa expressed his views on the project’s significance. “The completion and launch of the Newlyn Park Bayhead Rail Terminal project at the Port of Durban is not only a much-needed boost to South Africa’s logistics infrastructure network. This terminal is also a symbol of recovery and resilience. For the city of Durban, for the eThekwini Metro, for KwaZulu-Natal, and for the country at large,” he stated.
Reflecting on the recent challenges, President Ramaphosa recounted the ordeal that the nation and the world faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global lockdowns to curb the virus’s spread. The subsequent unrest in 2021 and devastating floods in 2022 in KwaZulu-Natal further tested the nation’s spirit. The destruction was especially felt in the vicinity of the Port of Durban. “These were all significant setbacks…that could have prevented us from moving forward and that could have made us to give up,” he admitted.
However, the President underscored the collective efforts that led to the terminal’s successful establishment, highlighting the cooperative spirit between the government and the private sector. He shared, “We can all be immensely proud of what has been achieved here, and of the persevering, pioneering South African spirit that this new terminal embodies. It also illustrates what can be achieved when government and business work together.”
The Newlyn Park Bayhead Rail Terminal came to fruition following a commitment made during the South African Investment Conference (SAIC) in 2019. At the SAIC 2023, Newlyn further pledged R4 billion into the development of environmentally friendly storage and handling facilities at Coega and Saldanha Bay. President Ramaphosa hailed the project as a “good model” of productive government and private sector collaboration.
The partnership with Newlyn, leveraging land leased from Transnet, is set to enhance operational efficiency significantly. “This precinct will address some of the challenges we have been experiencing in the logistics, infrastructure and network industries that have had a negative impact on economic growth and the creation of jobs,” the President explained.
The construction of the terminal has attracted some R3.4 billion in investment and created around 4,013 direct construction jobs. With over 1000 employees currently working full-time, these numbers are expected to rise as the facility increases its cargo handling capacity. The President also highlighted the terminal’s important role in supporting the Africa Continental Free Trade Area by facilitating the swift movement of goods.
As South Africa charts its course towards economic rejuvenation, the Newlyn Park Bayhead Rail Terminal stands as a testament to the country’s resilience, and its commitment to improving its logistics and infrastructure for a more prosperous future.
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