MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Manganese Ore – THIS is why It will not move

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Bye Bye Waterfront.

The Manganese Ore facility in Gqeberha is a bit like State Capture as those benefiting from it are many and from many backgrounds – mine owners, farmers, politicians, church leaders, small business, petrol stations, electricians, hydraulic specialists, automotive businesses, tyres, oil, landlords… the list goes on.

Standing on the other side of all the above vested interests are little old me, my crazy environmental friends, some yachtsmen, a couple of divers, some tourism ventures and Carte Blanche.

The shortened cynics view goes like this:

  1. At the top we have many powerful vested interests – the likes of Sacco, Sisulu, Motsepe and Ramaphosa all have a vested interest in the delivery and sale of Manganese Ore
  2. There are many ‘upstanding’ citizens benefiting from the transport, storage and allied industries around Manganese Ore – a bit like State Capture which allowed many to benefit, show support and ‘protect’ the industry.
  3. AND the Port of Port Elizabeth is caught between a rock and a hard place as my take of the situation is that if the Manganese Ore facility moves away from the Port then the Port will die.

Estimates are that the Port (just from the low grade Manganese Ore Dump Facility) turns over far more than R1 Million a day <—- this figure is based on the daily fine amount that Construction firms would have had to pay should their work (more than 7 years ago) have exceeded the time limit.

Add in turnover from the high grade facilities which serve two vessels at a time dockside (with nearly one 38 ton truck every minute) and we are talking millions more.

The bottom line for me (in this ‘state capture’) is that if the Port closes then the City will suffer.

As to the ‘promise’ of a waterfront I find it hard to believe that TNPA will be willing to swop their easy to manage Manganese Ore facility with  a few tenants for the fast paced life of a waterfront, many many tenants and capital spend required.

Work out how many tenants the Port will need to replace a couple of million turnover per day. Then, factor in the loss from the Fuel Dump and one will see just how massive the ‘waterfront’ rentals will have to be to replace the present turnover.

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Views Since 15 July 2022: 44

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.