Professor Johann Kirsten on 28 May facilitated a Creamer Media panel discussion featuring insights from:
- Jabu Mdaki, chief executive of Transnet Port Terminals
- Mmatiou Kalaba, executive director and senior analyst at the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP)
- Boitshoko Ntshabele, chief executive officer at Citrus Growers Association of Southern Africa; and
- Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz)
This is Part 8 of an eight-part series.
Mdaki offered forward-looking insights on Transnet’s commitment to sustainability, particularly in the context of its infrastructure investments. He highlighted that the new equipment being deployed is specifically chosen to reduce Transnet’s carbon footprint. “The RTGs that we’re deploying are hybrid, so they will be using about 30% less diesel.” This commitment to greener operations reflects an understanding that environmental performance will increasingly become a “determinant in terms of where people import their goods”. This conscious shift towards hybrid technology in port machinery directly contributes to a more sustainable cold chain, reducing emissions associated with handling and loading goods, including highly sensitive refrigerated cargo.
In his concluding remarks, Kalaba reiterated the vast opportunities in the African market, driven by its growing population. However, he emphasised the critical limitations posed by logistics and infrastructure, particularly for perishable goods. The lack of adequate storage facilities and the necessary infrastructure for preserving product quality mean that exports to other African countries are often limited to unprocessed or semi-processed, non-perishable items.
He stressed that realising the ambitions of the African Union for regional trade hinges on overcoming these fundamental infrastructure gaps. This directly relates to the development of a continent-wide cold chain network, which would unlock the potential for South Africa to export more diverse and value-added perishable agricultural products to its African neighbors.
The panel concluded with a unified message: South African agriculture is resilient, forward-thinking and committed to continuous improvement. From strategic market diversification and cutting-edge research to the adoption of green technologies in port operations and the ambitious development of rail-based cold chain solutions, the sector is actively shaping its future in a complex global environment.