Port users given tight window to weigh in on potential port disruptions

Comments invited on wayleave notice

SOUTH AFRICA: Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has opened a seven-day public comment window that could directly impact traffic and logistics fluidness at the Port of Cape Town.

The port authority intends to conclude a five-year wayleave agreement with AGL Terminals (Pty) Ltd granting the terminal operator a legal right-of-way to install and maintain critical telecommunication infrastructure across public port land.

While the digital upgrade promises to boost efficiency at A-Berth (Duncan Docks), the physical execution of the project is likely to pose some challenges to everyday port users. The targeted installation route runs directly along South Arm Road—a primary, high-traffic arterial corridor connecting the V&A Waterfront precinct to the central working port.

With the public participation window closing strictly on Thursday, 16 July 2026, at 17:00, Maritime Review Africa urges all port tenants, logistics firms, and transport operators to scrutinise the deal and submit their operational conditions before silence is taken as consent.

While a more digitally connected port environment is objectively good for Cape Town’s global competitiveness, the logistical reality of getting there requires digging up roads. Port users must demand that TNPA holds AGL Terminals to strict operational boundaries.

When drafting your submissions to TNPA, stakeholders should consider noting some of the following safeguards:

◼︎ Mandatory Off-Peak Construction: Road trenching and cable laying must be legally restricted to night shifts (20:00 to 05:00) or weekends to protect daytime freight movement.

◼︎ Micro-Trenching Enforcement: TNPA should mandate the use of narrow micro-trenching techniques instead of traditional, wide-scale road excavations that close down entire traffic lanes.

◼︎ Penalty-Backed Reinstatement: The wayleave agreement must feature heavy, enforceable financial penalties if South Arm Road is not returned to its original state within 48 hours of line installation.

◼︎ Pre-Published Traffic Diversions: The Cape Town Harbor Master must vet and publicly publish a comprehensive traffic management plan before any physical work begins.

The aggressively short seven-day public notice window raises eyebrows. For complex maritime and logistics businesses, evaluating the infrastructural impact of a five-year wayleave takes time. The brevity of this window underscores the urgency for port users to act immediately.

Written comments, objections, or conditional approvals must be emailed directly to the Port of Cape Town's property management team:

◼︎ Contact: Babalwa Tokwana (Property Manager)
Email Submission to: CPTPROPERTY@TRANSNET.NET
Strict Deadline: Thursday, 16 July 2026, at 17:00