Daily Maverick reports that the Durban Gateway Terminal, a critical component of South Africa’s busiest container port, continues to operate below pre-crisis levels following a mid-August switch to a new IT system. The Southern African Association of Freight Forwarders, or Saaff, noted that vessel delays average approximately 251 hours at anchorage and 127 hours alongside, with gate performance falling to 2,111 moves in the latest 24-hour period. Although waterside throughput improved by 6% in the most recent week, Saaff cautioned that this stabilization from a depressed base should not be mistaken for full recovery.

To manage the operational strain, Transnet recalled approximately 30 fixed-term contract workers in September who had previously been displaced when the terminal was renamed and managed by International Container Terminal Services Inc, or ICTSI. These workers, many of whom had served Transnet for years, were brought back on three-month contracts ending in November 2026. Daily Maverick notes that these employees report unpaid September wages and a lack of communication regarding contract extensions, despite the terminal’s ongoing infrastructure upgrades.

Transnet Port Terminals explained that these workers are not direct DGT employees but are recruited by Transnet and seconded to the terminal. An email from Transnet to one worker stated, "Transnet recruits the employees and seconds them to DGT." The company added that salary delays resulted from administrative shortcomings, including verified banking details, and scheduled a special payment run for 23 October 2026. Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy visited the port on 2 October, acknowledging that the current situation is "not what we want" and promising structured engagements with customers to improve communication.

Workers on the ground describe a more challenging reality than the ministerial press conference suggests. They report understaffing in the rail and waterside departments, with some technicians now working alone in areas previously staffed in pairs, a shift that deviates from standard safety procedures. One supervisor noted that while the company plans significant equipment development, the temporary workforce is told there is no work beyond their current contracts. As the citrus export season ends in November, workers predict that the terminal may struggle to maintain fluidity once the recalled staff depart, despite Transnet’s goal to expand the port’s capacity from 2.9 million to 11.4 million TEUs.