Durban Port modernised with BRICS support
Infrastructure is the arteries of an economy, and when they become clogged, the entire organism suffers. A port that was once a symbol of trading power can, over time, turn into a bottleneck that slows the growth of entire regions. But investment and cooperation can restore its former significance — and open new horizons for trade.
The Port of Durban handles more cargo than any other port in Africa. However, years of outdated infrastructure and logistical problems have taken their toll on its operations. Now hundreds of millions of dollars in state and international financing are helping to transform the port. The New Development Bank was one of the international financiers supporting the port's modernisation efforts, providing a $260 million loan back in 2018.
"We are repairing the existing infrastructure. In addition, investment in the cranes that will soon arrive is part of our work to repair the dock itself. The second component of this is business transformation. So part of the business transformation is what we are doing to acquire a central lift that will be used to repair our own vessels," said Mpumi Dweba-Kwetana, the port's manager.
The port is currently preparing for increased container traffic in connection with the formation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. "We are positioning ourselves to accommodate larger vessels and, importantly, to improve the efficiency of our operations and set adequate prices for our docks," the manager said.
But a modern port also needs a functioning feeder network. In 2024, the New Development Bank announced an additional $300 million to support the restoration of Transnet's freight rail system. The network has been severely damaged by vandalism, theft and operational failures, which has limited the flow of goods to ports and negatively affected economic growth. "If you look at our growth problems, they are related to supply.
First it was electricity, which took us more than ten years, almost 16 years, to solve. Now we have a similar problem in logistics that we need to solve, because if logistics doesn't work, we don't even benefit from commodity booms," said South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.
Transnet's "Rebuilding for Growth" strategy aims to restore infrastructure and improve efficiency. The goal is to accelerate the movement of goods from mines and farms to the port and international markets. "If we don't fix this, the system will continue to deteriorate. And that cannot be allowed, because, as I said, when the system deteriorates, derailments occur, all sorts of incidents on the line. Trains don't move fast enough. If that happens, it will mean that the pace of moving goods to and from the port will slow down," said Michelle Phillips, CEO of Transnet.
As reported by CCTV+, restoring South Africa's port and rail network is not just a matter of improving infrastructure resilience. It is about enhancing the country's competitiveness and strengthening Durban's position as a gateway between Africa and broader trade cooperation among BRICS countries. The support of the New Development Bank demonstrates that the bloc's joint efforts can deliver tangible results for the economies of its members.
