Dear Stakeholder

I am delighted to once more be able to connect with you, our dear valued stakeholder. In this April 2022 newsletter issue, we bring you news containing updates from the recent KZN floods and highlights of EMC initiatives and other stakeholder news.

In the past days, heavy rainfall caused several landslides and flooding across KwaZulu-Natal Province (eastern South Africa), resulting in an increased humanitarian impact.

The EThekwini Maritime Cluster (EMC) notes with great sorrow and sadness the devastating loss of lives and property that the region has suffered following the disaster events emanating from torrential rains and floods in Kwazulu Natal, and surrounding areas in the Republic of South Africa. I encourage all of EMC stakeholders and the people of South Africa to continue to put in place measures to scale up implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in Africa (2015-2030) by strengthening early warning capacities and capabilities, ensuring preparedness and enhanced resilience, while also promoting sustainable utilisation of the environment including reforestation and afforestation, as environmental integrity is critical for regulating and reducing the impacts of climate change and floods.

However, with all the challenges experienced by beloved province, the journey in building a conducive and sustainable maritime for all South Africans continued with a conference that was held in Cape Town. The Department of Transport’s Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy (CMTP) Mid-Term Review Conference in Cape Town where EMC was invited to present the boatbuilding programme that was selected by the Department of Transport as being suitable for promoting the department’s Maritime 2022 Theme: “Benefiting from the Maritime Value Chain”.

I would to congratulate the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) Chief Financial Officer, Ms Zamachonco Chonco has been appointed as the agency’s interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO), pending the finalisation of the process for appointment of a permanent CEO.

April saw our “Welcome to water” program come to an end after a 13 weeks assignment. The welcome to water program is an introductory program that gave basic sailing, rowing and swimming skills to the learners from selected schools within the eThekwini municipality.

With our newsletters we strive to report on all the major events within our industry, including all other initiatives that EMC has embarked on during the past month period. We hope that you will find this issue interesting and enjoyable to read.

Your feedback on any of our stories would be high appreciated.