The Transnet strike is crippling the economy and needs to end as soon as possible.
These were the sentiments of the newly elected president of the Durban Chamber of Commerce, Prasheen Maharaj.
Transnet workers embarked on a strike on Monday over wage negotiations.
On Wednesday, the United National Transport Union (Untu) rejected the offer of 4.5–5.3%, citing the offer as ridiculous.
Workers are asking for a 12% increase.
Maharaj said this was not the first economic setback the industry had recently experienced.
“We had the pandemic, looting, flooding, the cyber-security attack in the port and the truck strike.
“The economy is on its knees, hanging by a thread and can ill afford this strike.
“It needs to be resolved because the economy may never recover if it continues.” Maharaj said all exports, including; cars, agricultural products and mining were affected.
Maharaj said, “There is a no work, no pay policy because the ports are not operating.
How long will these workers take to recover because they aren’t being paid?” Economist Dawie Roodt said the country was flirting with a recession.
“The economy has been hugely impacted by load shedding and now this.
“In both instances these are state-owned enterprises that are failing South Africans.
“This will lead to an increase in unemployment and poverty.” A 64 year old logistics company owner said his 50 trucks had been off the road since Monday and was losing millions of rand as a result of the strike In the latest statement, Transnet said it had tabled a three-year wage offer to its recognised unions, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) and Untu.
Transnet is offering a 4.5% across-the-board increase in the current year, which will be implemented from October 1, 2022 and a 4.5% increase in the medical aid allowance in 2022/23.
The government has urged both parties to return to the negotiating table and to adopt an approach which balanced the rights of workers, who were affected by rising prices, against the long-term stability and growth of Transnet, and the economy as a whole.
