BI says port, rail upgrades essential for SA to remain the import and export hub for Africa

24 March 2022
Leading supplier Bearings International (BI) has welcomed the assertion by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his State of the Nation address on 10 February that the economy cannot grow without efficient ports and railways. “The functioning of our ports has declined relative to ports in other parts of the world and on the African continent. This constrains economic activity.”
Document Downloads 
application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document iconBI says port, rail upgrades essential for SA to remain the import and export hub for Africa_approved16.78 KBDownload
PreviewBI's complete offering ranges from 0.55 kW to 355 kW and higher if requested3.31 MBDownload
PreviewCooper Split Bearings from BI6.77 MBDownload
PreviewThe new Rexnord RN series of metric bearings from BI is ideal for arduous, demanding applications7.27 MBDownload

“Upgrading our ports is long overdue,” says BI Business Development Leader Fred Aslett. “Our ports are something to be proud of as South Africa is known as the hub of Africa. Nowadays there is little faith in the ports that South Africa has to offer for imports and exports. An upgrade is therefore not only necessary but essential.”

Offloading and loading cranes need to be refurbished to be able to deal with larger ships for a quicker turnaround which, in turn, necessitates upgrading the storage facilities and ancillary infrastructure.

“Exports from South Africa have seen a decline as our broken infrastructure has forced the rest of Africa to look elsewhere. Many companies in Africa that once relied on South Africa have now switched to other global supply networks,” says Aslett. He warns that South Africa could soon find itself cut off from the rest of the continent.

Transnet is addressing these challenges and is currently focused on improving operational efficiencies at the ports by procuring additional equipment and implementing new systems to reduce congestion. Transnet has also developed partnerships with the private sector to address cable theft and vandalism on the freight rail network. This collaborative effort is already showing results in reduced disruptions to rail operations.

According to Ramaphosa, the government is prioritising infrastructure projects in energy, roads, and water to support economic growth and improve quality of life for its citizens. In this regard, the Infrastructure Fund has received a R100 billion allocation from the fiscus over the next decade. It is now collaborating with State entities to prepare a pipeline of projects with an investment value of about R96 billion.

Several catalytic projects to the value of R21 billion are expected to start construction this year. Of this, R2.6 billion has been contributed by the government and the balance from the private sector and developmental finance institutions. The government will make an initial investment of R1.8 billion in bulk infrastructure, which will unlock seven private sector projects worth R133 billion. For millions of South Africans in rural areas, roads and bridges provide access to markets, employment opportunities and social services.

Connect with BI on Social Media to receive the company’s latest news
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BearingsInternational/
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/bearingsinternational/

Ends

Notes to the Editor
To download a hi-res image for this release, please visit http://media.ngage.co.za and click the BI link to view the company’s press office.

About BI
BI is a member of the Hudaco Group. BI is a leading distributor of bearings and power transmission products in Southern Africa. With its customer-focused approach, BI is committed to delivering value to all its stakeholders, while offering quality solutions that make a real difference to optimising plant availability and turnaround time. With over 60 years in the bearings and power transmission industry, BI puts its experience to good use by going great lengths to ensure their product range and services meet the changing needs of clients, industry, and business. Backed by an elite technical team, BI covers the full spectrum of customer requirements, and can ensure immediate availability of products through a nationwide network of branches.

BI Contact
Phone: (011) 899-0000
Fax: 087 057 6122
Email: info [at] bearings [dot] co [dot] za
Web: www.bearings.co.za

24 HOUR HOTLINE: 083 250 9191

Media Contact
Rachel Megkwe
NGAGE Public Relations
Phone: (011) 867-7763
Fax: 074 212 1422
Cell: 082 562 5088
Email: rachel [at] ngage [dot] co [dot] za
Web: www.ngage.co.za

Browse the NGAGE Media Zone for more client press releases and photographs at http://media.ngage.co.za