Fuel Berth At Port Of Port Elizabeth To Be Fixed By 6th Dec: Creecy

Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy says the damaged berth at the Port of Port Elizabeth will be fixed latest by the 6th of December. This, after the minister did an oversight visit of the two ports in Gqeberha, Port of Port Elizabeth and Port of Ngqura as part of Transport Month.

Fixing the fuel tanker berth is estimated to cost R20 million. This follows an accident in June when a fuel tanker piloted by a port official damaged a berth, resulting in fuel companies having to collect fuel from East London instead of the Port of Port Elizabeth.

The damage will affect Nelson Mandela Bay residents, as fuel costs will be higher compared to other coastal areas. This as a result of its new inland zoning approved by Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.

Mantashe has approved the inland zoning of Nelson Mandela Bay fuel costs. Fuel prices increased by 10 cents in the area while the rest of the country experienced a R114 cent drop. This, due to a damaged fuel pump berth.

The transport industry and other business sectors have raised concerns about the new zoning.