Namibia’s state-owned Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) has announced plans for a $2.1 billion port infrastructure expansion project to support the southern African country’s burgeoning energy industry.

The expansion project will involve the construction of new berths and quay walls at the country’s major port of Walvis Bay and the construction of a new port in the town of Lüderitz.

Under the plan, Namport will set aside roughly 350 hectares of land for development and will collaborate with the private sector through public-private partnership agreements, allowing companies to establish operations under a landlord port model.

“We are hoping to commence with the operation in the last quarter of next year, which will take about three years at most,” stated Namport CEO, Andrew Kanime, adding, “We are seeking private companies with technical expertise and financial resources to invest in this space.”

With offshore activity in Namibia accounting for approximately 13% of rigs working on African waters, the project will be designed to support drilling services at the country’s primary port of Walvis Bay. Meanwhile, a port at Lüderitz is poised to provide market access for the mineral-rich Northern Cape Province of South Africa.

The announcement comes after significant oil discoveries were made by supermajors, Total Energies and Shell, in Namibia’s offshore Orange Basin in 2022 and 2023, resulting in an estimated resource base of 7 million barrels of oil equivalent for the country. Namibia is expected to reach its first crude production by 2029 and is poised to become Africa’s fifth-largest oil producer by 2030.

The European Union and the United States are joining forces to support the development of a new railway line between Zambia and Angola, initiating the technical and economic justification

This is part of the Trans-African Corridor development, connecting the southern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and northwestern Zambia to regional and global trade markets via the Lobito port in Angola.

CRRC unveils a new railway train

The project was announced on the sidelines of the Global Infrastructure and Investment Partnership (GIIP) event at the G20 in India.

The Lobito Corridor presents an alternative strategic route to the export markets of Zambia and the DRC, offering the shortest path connecting the key mining regions of these two countries to the sea.

The partnership between the EU and the US will revitalize critical infrastructure in Africa south of the Sahara to unlock the “vast potential of this region,” according to a joint statement.

“We are pleased to join forces to realize economic benefits with our partners in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia.”

The partnership will pool financial resources and technical know-how to accelerate the development of the Trans-African Corridor, including investments in digital access and value-added agricultural value chains, enhancing regional competitiveness.

According to the EU, this represents a “powerful evolution of the Global Infrastructure and Investment Partnership approach to collaboration, which can be replicated in other strategic corridors around the world.”

Seabourne Logistics is excited to announce its move into a new, expansive facility in Gauteng, South Africa. The new 22 000 square metres premises signals a significant step forward for the company’s growth and operational capabilities in the country.

Located in the Eastport Logistics Park in Kempton Park on the East Rand, the move positions Seabourne as a critical player in the region’s logistics landscape. With ample space and a well-planned layout, the facility is set to enhance Seabourne’s efficiency, capacity, and ability to serve its clients.

The contemporary office and warehouse complex boasts an expansive 18 500 square metres under its roof, complete with newly installed 15-metre-high racking systems. During the initial phase, 5 600 pallet spots will be readily accessible within the racking infrastructure, while an additional 5 400 places are slated for implementation during the subsequent stage.

The new facility is a central element of Seabourne’s forward-looking growth strategy, aimed at solidifying its position as a prominent player in South Africa’s logistics sector. While the company’s current facility has come a long way since its inception in a modest 25-square-metre, today spanning nearly 8 000 square metres, Seabourne recognises the need for increased capacity to support its ambition of becoming an unparalleled “one-stop-shop” catering to diverse client needs.

The transition from a building that was not conducive to cross-docking facilities to one equipped with 10 dock levellers, 10 courier doors, and 10 warehouse handling doors represents a significant leap forward. These enhancements will have a profound impact on the company’s operations, enabling it to better serve clients and streamline logistics processes.

“This move represents a significant milestone for Seabourne as we continue to execute our active growth strategy that has been crafted to leverage every angle, from courier and e-commerce to warehousing and final mile delivery,” says David Frank, newly appointed Warehouse Executive at Seabourne.

His appointment forms part of Seabourne’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its warehousing business, and is aligned with the transition to the larger facility.

“We are well-equipped to provide seamless logistics support. Our new facility is a testament to our commitment to providing top solutions and exceptional service to our clients. The new facility moves us closer to achieving our expansion goals and improving efficiency,” says Rouche Van Der Westhuizen, Johannesburg Branch Manager.

According to Frank, the Eastport Logistics Park’s reputation for hosting some of the country’s most extensive facilities and prominent players, further bolsters Seabourne’s credibility and capacity to provide improved client services. Centrally located near the airport and all of the major highways in Gauteng, it will allow for easy access and movement.

Enhanced with top end technological systems and advanced equipment, the facility boasts a layout that facilitates current operations. It paves the way for future expansion, enabling Seabourne to adeptly meet the escalating needs of its clients and the market. Furthermore, the facility’s robust infrastructure empowers it to block stack goods at double efficiency and even triple levels, offering specialised accommodation for hazardous materials.

“We can address diverse requirements, while being aware of our storage objectives,” continues Frank. “Seabourne upholds exceptionally rigorous standards, driven not solely by profit motives, but also by the imperative to align with our reputation and uphold specific benchmarks. As a business, we pride ourselves on the relationships and partnerships we build with our clients.”

The company is scheduled to transition out of its current facility by December. To ensure minimal disruption to operations and partners’ businesses, Seabourne will gradually move its principals over weekends. “Our approach is methodical planning and a systematic schedule, with a dedicated effort from the entire team,” concludes Frank.

Driving its leading technology through a pure play mining strategy, FLSmidth has been optimising its footprint to be closer to customers with local solutions and expertise.

Alistair McKay, FLSmidth’s Head of Site and Service Sales Sub Saharan Africa, Middle East & South Asia (SSAMESA), highlights the CORE’26 mission at the centre of this strategy. CORE’26, explains McKay, is based on the principles of sustainability, technology, service and performance.

“We go to the market through our five regional structures around the world, which deliver sales, service and order execution,” he says. “The regions are in turn supported by our global organisation and its leading product lines. The global resources are strategically located in countries such as the US, Denmark, Germany, India and South Africa, where we have a concentration of expertise to support our offerings.”

Leveraging global technology for local impact

As part of the footprint optimisation, resources have been deployed and infrastructure investments made in key areas, with Johannesburg remaining as the mining hub for the SSAMESA region. World class facilities in the region include the Stormill service centre – for KREBS® pumps, valves and cyclones – and the Delmas manufacturing facility for vibrating screens and other equipment. There is also the fully integrated engineering facility and a service centre at Chloorkop, focused as a centre of excellence on refurbishing high pressure grinding rolls.

McKay highlights that the manufacturing, assembly and refurbishment capacity of these centres cater for product lines not just for this region but for FLSmidth globally. The regional footprint includes local sales and services offices in Ghana, Saudi Arabia and India.

“Our strategy allows us to get closer to customers around Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, while building the local manufacturing base as part of our global supply chain,” says McKay.

He also emphasises the importance of technical knowledge in successfully building the SSAMESA footprint. “Relevant expertise and know-how remain important enablers to our customers for projects and broader development in Africa especially,” he says.

The company’s focus on local manufacture in countries like South Africa also means that the domestic economy is supported while local skills are employed and developed. With a focus on skills development, FLSmidth contributes to the training of customers’ staff, while pursuing talent development through learnerships, apprenticeships and scholarships.

“As a technology provider of world class sustainable offerings across the full flowsheet, the expertise in our regional footprint is key,” he says. “We also prioritise research and development that supports our sustainability ambitions and our customers’ green journey.”

The government of Ghana has issued a 15-year mining permit to Atlantic Lithium’s local subsidiary, Barari DV Ghana Limited. The permit will be used for the first country’s first lithium operation and the move aligns with Ghana’s strategy to participate in the growing global shift toward electric vehicles and renewable energy sources.

The dubbed Ewoyaa project is located in the Cape Coast region of Ghana, approximately 100 kilometers southwest of the capital city, Accra. The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has increased the royalty rate from the standard 5% to 10%. Additionally, the state’s interest in the project has been raised from 10% to 13%.

Minerals Income Investment Fund 

Ghana’s sovereign wealth fund, Minerals Income Investment Fund(MIIF), will acquire a 6% stake in the Ewoyaa project and a 3.06% stake in Atlantic Lithium. Atlantic Lithium will also be required to list on the Ghana Stock Exchange.

Atlantic Lithium will work on developing a lithium processing plant in Ghana to maximize the economic benefit of the lithium resources, reducing the need to ship the mineral to China for processing. Half of the lithium produced at Ewoyaa will be sent to a refinery of US-based Piedmont Lithium, which is the second-largest shareholder of Atlantic Lithium and has agreed to provide most of the funds for building the mine. Atlantic Lithium aims to produce a total of 3.6 million tonnes of spodumene concentrate over 12 years from the Ewoyaa site. This would make it one of the world’s largest lithium projects.

Colossal Concrete Products, a Level 1 B-BBEE company and the largest manufacturer of railway sleepers in Southern Africa, with a proud 64-year track record, reopened its mothballed De Aar factory in October. This eagerly anticipated move follows the recent conclusion of a 1-year contract with Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) to supply precast concrete railway sleepers for the parastatal’s national freight rail network upgrade.

The De Aar facility is strategically located in the Northern Cape, near one of the arterial railway junctions connecting the Cape Town, Johannesburg and Kimberley lines. Through its manufacturing facility reopening, the company will not only provide a much-needed boost to the regional economy through the creation of jobs – and additional upstream and downstream manufacturing and supply opportunities – but is now in a position to reach its inherent capacity, with the production of over 1 million railway sleepers per annum.

Parallel tracks of growth and development

This will pave the way for growth in South Africa and beyond, according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gwen Mahuma-Madida. “Africa is rich in natural resources, but much-needed growth and progress are often hampered by lack of finance and the required infrastructure. Colossal Concrete Products understands the pivotal importance of infrastructure development – and the impact that this has on the economic development of any country. In line with our precast concrete manufacturing capacity, skills and our Pan-African growth strategy, Colossal can play a significant part in the roll-out of rail, civils and general infrastructure development – improving the overall prosperity of the continent,” Mahuma- Madida explains.

The company has grown substantially over the past two years, taking over from a listed entity and entrenching its own style and culture, while maintaining a sound client base and expanding its market share both locally and cross-border.

This followed the June 2021 acquisition – by a consortium made up of Colossal Africa Group, Mafoko Holdings, Clone Capital and Randvest Capital – of Aveng Infraset’s Brakpan and De Aar facilities for their rail, telecommunications, civil engineering and specialised precast concrete manufacturing capabilities and intellectual property (IP).

Mahuma-Madida says that even though the De Aar facility had in fact been mothballed prior to the 2021 acquisition, its potential was always extremely evident: “The TFR contract has been the catalyst for the reopening, and there are now further plans to keep the operation sustainable. The acquisition of an adjoining property in De Aar will also assist us in growing our footprint within the renewable energy space, which is on the cusp of significant growth following the publication of the final draft of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Masterplan in July this year,” she explains, adding that the De Aar facility is close to the current Northern Cape hub of many renewable energy projects – and is expected to be pivotal in supplying products such as precast wind turbine towers, amongst others.”

Concretising job creation

“De Aar, like many areas in the Northern Cape, has been economically depressed in recent years. It is with this in mind that one of the most important elements in the rejuvenation of the manufacturing facility is the creation of some fifty jobs. No employment opportunities have been available since the plant was mothballed by the previous owner over three years ago, and we have been inundated with job applications. We are also collaborating closely with the local mayor and municipal manager, who are extremely excited about the plant reopening and what this means for the town as a whole, “ says Executive Director Chris ‘CK’ Klagsbrun.

Jobs include mixer operators, team leaders, boom scraper, line feeder, crane operators, boiler operators, wire feeders, fork lift drivers, grinder operators, wire cutters, slot washers, preppers and quality controllers.

“Preference is being given to those previously employed in the above positions at our De Aar facility, and I am confident that a fair percentage of former employees will be re-employed,” he advises. Mahuma-Madida adds that not only are she and her team extremely pleased to have a contract which necessitated the plant reopening; but also that all Colossal’s products have met the safety and technical requirements required when implementing projects for TFR.

“The foundational concept here is that infrastructure development and job creation go hand-in-hand: when TFR – or any other public or private sector entity – chooses Colossal as their precast concrete products provider, this means that we can create jobs,” she emphasises.

Further down the track

Mahuma-Madida notes that the company’s 64-year track record as a supplier of precast products in rail, telecommunications, civil engineering and mining – as well as its valuable intellectual property (IP) – were a critical part of the original decision to acquire Aveng Infraset’s Brakpan and De Aar precast concrete manufacturing plants.

Currently, Colossal Concrete Products is recognised internationally as one of the world’s most innovative and diverse concrete sleeper producers, with a highly experienced research and development division having developed over 40 rail-related products. In addition, Colossal manufactures other precast concrete products including culverts, poles and masts, for use in the mining, civil engineering, construction and renewable energy sectors, to name but a few. There are furthermore plans manufacture wind turbine towers moving forward.

“We are still the only company locally that has such a large range of railway products. To retain that leadership position is critical. While our competitors do manufacture a selective range of main line sleepers, we are the only ones to make the entire range,” she says.

Already, there are plans to move manufacture of all turnout sleepers to De Aar. These are highly specialised and supplied to VAE which adds rails. Technically, Klagsbrun points out that Colossal has maintained its high manufacturing standards with all specifications remaining in line with original technology provided by its Swedish licensor. The company also consistently invests in research and development, which remains a very crucial element of the business.

“Our vision is to constantly bring innovative new solutions to the rail, mining, renewable energy, civil engineering and construction sectors – among many others. Taking this a step further, we also plan to replicate what Colossal does across Africa. We have already grown our consulting division close to home; and we are working closely with our Swedish partner on Pan-African rail projects. There have been two recent enquiries around establishing new manufacturing plants which we have participated in, where Colossal could either oversee construction or conclude service level agreements to manage these facilities,” Klagsbrun explains.

A new platform for De Aar

As the company is a major player in the precast concrete space supplying the mining, construction, civils and general infrastructure sectors, Mahuma-Madida says every Colossal facility will always produce a variety of products servicing multiple sectors: “Not only is the De Aar plant strongly positioned for projects in the renewable energy space – but it is strategically and operationally well placed to fill the gap left by the closure of companies serving the construction sector in the Northern Cape,” she points out.

“Therefore, once we have a solid base and increasing revenue, we will resume marketing to the civil engineering and construction sector once again, selling our culverts, pipes and more. When the De Aar and other plants serving the construction sector closed in the Northern Cape, it left a void. Construction companies were forced to import precast products from Gauteng and other regions. So, we will fill that gap – and save them transport costs!” she enthuses.

The same goes for Colossal’s strategy in neighbouring countries: “We will use rail as a base to move into adjacent countries. Once this is set up, we can introduce other products. For us, it is very important to be a Pan-African player as well as a South African player. Although South Africa still has some way to go, that is where a lot of the infrastructure development stems from – and we really need to be part of that!

In summary, we are very sincerely committed to the future not only of rail, but also of infrastructure development – and therefore also of South Africa and the rest of the continent, and are proud to play our part in moving this forward,” Mahuma-Madida concludes.

Local steel sector proves its ‘metal’ as major Pan-African player at the SAISC Steel Awards 2023

Inspiring steel value chain collaboration between architects, designers, engineers and construction companies delivering world-class projects across the African continent was the highlight of the 2023 Steel Awards, presented by the Southern African Institute for Steel Construction (SAISC).

This red carpet event, commonly referred to as the ‘Oscars of the steel industry’ was held at Emperor’s Palace, Gauteng on October 19 and themed Game of Thrones: not only to celebrate the proud legacy of steel through the ages and its pivotal contribution to civilisation, but also the significant achievements of the South African steel sector.

Every year, the SAISC-hosted Steel Awards provide an opportunity for stakeholders across the industry and steel value chain – including designers, architects, engineers, processors, merchants and fabricators – to present their work and be honoured for their outstanding achievements.

Forging head in Africa

Of particular interest to the judges this year was that many of the notable projects nominated were not confined to South Africa, but exported – and in some cases executed – across the continent. This was reflected in the number of Pan-African projects which won awards, and indicated that one of the SAISC’s long-held goals – is being realised.

“Fabricators and manufacturers have really forged ahead and made a big leap into Africa! They have built structures in a way that has never been done before, delivering products and innovations which have never been seen before – not only locally but across the continent,” says SAISC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amanuel Gebremeskel.

“For over a decade, we have been encouraging our industry not only to be a centre of manufacturing excellence, but also to get involved in more advanced projects – producing products and innovations which have not been used before in the world. You would expect this in first-world economies like Europe, the US, South Korea or Japan. The fact that we can achieve this standard in South Africa is impressive! We always hear that many large African projects are being created by Chinese, Indian or even American contractors. That does not have to be the case. We have the capacity and the engineering capability to do this and that is what the Steel Awards are all about,” Gebremeskel enthuses.

He adds that many of the projects showcased at the SAISC 2023 Awards are iconic structures, which have made a lasting contribution to the built environment – and will be a testament to South African steel sector skill for many years.

Gebremeskel highlighted the following three projects in particular:

Fresh and fabulous as the overall winner – and more

The Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market is not only the Steel Awards 2023 overall winner – but also garnered several other awards as winner of the Factory and Warehouse category, the Tubular category and recipient of the Best Project Mpumalanga Award.

Nominated by Tass Engineering, the project was designed by Orbic Architects and constructed by (amongst several others) the main contractor Enza Construction and steelwork contractor Tass Engineering. This so-called ‘market of the future’ was constructed for the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency to act as a regional catalyst for growth, creating jobs and improving food security. Serving the local and international food industry, it is more effective and efficient than existing, traditional fresh produce markets. The steelwork roof covers a 29,000m2 floor and is designed to provide maximum usable floor space with minimal support columns. The building was also designed to accommodate future alterations and expansion.

The main challenge was the sheer size of the roof structure and its structural framing system, which posed a significant logistical challenge to transport – from the Kempton Park fabrication site to the market site over 300km away in Mbombela. To address this challenge, modular components were transported in smaller sections and then erected on site.

“Fitting all the pieces of this Meccano-like construction in a seamless and cohesive manner was a huge achievement. These challenges were overcome by carefully-designed jigging systems used for the fabrication of the components, and then trial assembling the major structural components and interfaces between them.

Also impressive is the fact that the engineer who designed the structure came up with a very elegant solution for the problem posed: the need for a lot of column-free space. To solve this, an arched roof was used along the entire 220 metre length – supported at each end using a structural framing system. The aesthetics and project execution – including the engineering, connections used, the seamlessness thereof and how the structure was erected – is quite amazing and a testament to the power of structural steel as a material of construction,” Gebremeskel comments.

A record-breaking distribution centre

Structural steel also played a pivotal role in the Pick ‘n Pay Distribution Centre East Port project, joint winner of the Factory and Warehouse category, winner of the Innovation and Sustainability category and recipient of the Best Project Gauteng Award.

One of the stand-out features of this exceptional project is the use of extremely long roofing sheets, ranging from 68 metres to a staggering 280 metres. These unprecedented roof sheeting lengths required innovative solutions for handling and installation – ultimately earning the project a place in the Guinness World Records.

The roof design features a distinctive curved profile with a radius of approximately 600 metres. This unique curvature required the use of the ‘sky-forming’ method to roll and shape the roofing sheets accurately. The success of the project hinged on close collaboration between various teams, including structural engineers, steel fabricators, material suppliers and roofing contractors. This teamwork was essential for problem-solving and adapting the design and construction to the very specific challenges posed by this challenging project.

“This is a phenomenal innovation, and a lot of work went into it. It is very nice to see one of our established, older steel companies showing a lot of vigour and energy. We have really achieved world leadership in sky-rolling capabilities. This is not only a notable project in South Africa, but globally,” Gebremeskel comments.

A praiseworthy achievement in Chad

The third project Gebremeskel highlighted is the Our Lady of Peace Cathedral in N’Djamena in Chad, which is the winner of the Light Steel Frame Building category.

Conceptual design to restore the cathedral started in March 2014, and addressed wind-load considerations through the implementation of a specialised shell structure design employing custom- made brackets to securely anchor the light-weight steel to the concrete structure.

This remote Central African project location required on-site fabrication. A number of logistical challenges had to be overcome due to the absence of nearby ports and limited road infrastructure suitable for container transport. The entire project also had to be successfully delivered during a period of political instability in the region.

“South African steel companies are not only doing incredible work in very complicated environments administratively, politically and security-wise – but are creating structures that are also very noteworthy – as demonstrated by this and other Pan-African projects this year,” advises Gebremeskel.

In summary, the Steel Awards 2023 category winners are as follows (information either in press release / links to additional project information and images will be provided):

Mining and Industrial:

Winner: Azmet Reactors – this bold pan-African mining project entailed fabrication and transport to the DRC of 6 reactor tanks, with detailed design of complex geometry featuring FEM (finite element method) modelling and an integrated support frame and platform

Factory and Warehouse Category / Metal Cladding

Winners: Mpumulanga International Fresh Produce Market and Pick ‘n Pay Distribution Centre East Port (see above)

Tubular Category

Winner: Mpumulanga International Fresh Produce Market (see above)

Light Steel Frame Building

Winner: Our Lady of Peace Cathedral – Chad (see above)

Architecturally Exposed Steelwork

Winner: NMU Ocean Sciences Campus Extensions – this project’s innovative use of steel succeeds in showcasing the university as a world-class tertiary education institution of choice

Innovation and Sustainability

Winner: Pick ‘n Pay Distribution Centre East Port (see above)

Best Export Project 

Winner: Azmet Reactors (see above)

Regional Awards

• Best Project Gauteng – Pick ‘n Pay Distribution Centre East Port (see above)
• Best Project Western Cape – Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika – this innovative use of space expresses and celebrates the building’s unusual geometry, overcoming the challenges of a highly congested site and construction during the Covid-19 pandemic
• Best Project Eastern Cape – NMU Ocean Sciences Campus Extensions (see above)
• Best Project Mpumalanga – Mpumulanga International Fresh Produce Market (see above)
• Best Project KwaZulu-Natal – Pepkor Warehouse, Hammarsdale – this retailer warehouse was completed against a background of severe socio-political unrest and also extreme weather. The cost-effective design and interactive project coordination and implementation are key highlights of this project

Steel trends

Although the SAISC does not judge project nominations according to budget and size, Gebremeskel acknowledged that many nominated this year were far greater in size and financial value than previously. Although mining projects – and especially those in remote locations – are inevitably the largest, he observes that large retail distribution centres have also grown tremendously in size, and also aesthetically.

“Projects such as the Pick and Pay distribution centre – winner in several categories – and the KwaZulu-Natal category winner, the Pepkor Warehouse, Hammarsdale – both point to this. Our retailers are looking for greater efficiency, so these buildings are getting larger every year. South

Africa is becoming the vanguard for the construction of distribution centres throughout the region. These are the kinds of buildings that many other countries in Africa require moving forward, so we need to develop local steel sector expertise to deliver similar projects cross-border in the future,” he says.

He adds that there were also a lot of architecturally-driven projects this year. Winner of the Architecturally Exposed Steelwork and Best Project Eastern Cape categories, the Ocean Sciences Campus at Nelson Mandela University, showed how a large educational institution project could utilise steel to echo the client’s image as a world-class tertiary education facility.

Diverse judging panel and generous sponsors

“The SAISC is very grateful to the Steel Awards judges, who have given of their own time to contribute to the industry that they love. This year, the judging panel was more diverse than ever when it came to age, gender and professional specialisation. With the greater emphasis on Pan-African projects, we look forward to growing and diversifying the judging panel even further. This includes featuring judges from other African countries, which will provide insight into the challenges faced by project teams in countries such as the DRC, Chad and Namibia,” Gebremeskel remarks.

The SAISC also thanks all stakeholders who worked to make the Awards a success – and the generous sponsors. These include the main sponsor, Unica Iron and Steel, Macsteel (Pan-African Trailblazer sponsor), Bolt and Engineering Distributors Group (table decor sponsor), BSi Steel (factory and warehouse category sponsor), Stewarts & Lloyds (light steel frame buildings category sponsor) NJR Steel  (innovation and sustainability category sponsor), The Association of Steel Tube and Pipe Manufacturers (tubular steel category sponsor) and Isilo Steel (photo booth sponsor).

“The 2023 Steel Awards provide significant insight into our sector, and just how notable and impressive the projects are. The Awards form an essential platform for showcasing – and celebrating – what the South African steel sector can do, not only locally but across the continent. For this

reason, we are encouraging all our members to continue to focus on innovation and quality, setting their sights beyond South Africa, and throughout Africa,” he concludes.

JOHANNESBURG – 17 October, 2023 – The African transport and logistics sector is a rapid adopter of industrial automation, embracing technologies such as the internet of things (IoT) and operational technologies (OT) to enhance efficiency. However, cautions Ben de Klerk, Eastern Cape Branch Manager at Datacentrix, a leading hybrid ICT systems integrator and managed services provider, with these advancements comes a well-documented history of cybersecurity vulnerabilities that still demand attention.

The rapid development and deployment of new technologies are also often associated with limited protocols governing their use, which poses its own set of risks, he explains.

The complex landscape of cybersecurity risk

“The local transport and logistics industry relies heavily on the smooth flow of goods across a complex network of multiple entities; from suppliers and manufacturers to distributors and retailers,” De Klerk explains. “This intricate supply chain structure is highly vulnerable to cyberthreats, as attackers can exploit any particular point in the supply chain.

“Moreover, the industry’s reliance on IoT and OT devices – such as sensors, GPS trackers and automated control systems – introduces new potential vulnerabilities.”

In fact, De Klerk maintains that this is a serious security challenge within the sector, as these sensors often lack robust built-in security features. This vulnerability opens the door to cyberattacks that can disrupt operations, compromise data, and lead to costly downtime, he says.

“Another area of great concern to OT security leaders within the transport and logistics industries is the risk of either unwitting, unaware, or malicious insider threats.”

Addressing security challenges

In order to mitigate these risks and bolster cybersecurity, organisations within the transport and logistics sector should look at adopting a comprehensive approach that combines technical, personnel and policy-based measures, De Klerk advises.

Ideally, this should include:

·      Identifying and prioritising assets: Start by identifying and categorising OT assets based on their importance to the business. This prioritisation helps focus security efforts on critical assets first.

·      Safeguarding devices: Secure all IoT and OT devices by implementing encryption, firewalls, access controls and regular patch management to prevent attacks and the associated costly downtime.

·      Securing supply chain and remote access: Establish secure supply chain access protocols to ensure that only authorised personnel have access to critical systems. Implement robust authentication mechanisms for remote access.

·      Undertaking regular security assessments: Conduct routine security assessments to identify vulnerabilities and take corrective action before they occur, assess the effectiveness of security measures, and proactively address potential weaknesses.

·      Establishing employee training: Employees can be a significant source of vulnerability in any organisation, so it is essential that employees are educated on cybersecurity best practices to enhance their awareness of potential threats and empower them to respond effectively.

·      Putting in place robust cybersecurity policies: Develop and implement strong OT cybersecurity policies and processes, with continuous monitoring and a disaster recovery plan to ensure business continuity.

“As the African transport and logistics sector continues its digital transformation, securing OT and industrial control systems (ICS) systems is of paramount importance. By adopting a multifaceted cybersecurity strategy, including risk assessment, device security, employee training, and policy development, organisations within this space can navigate these challenges and safeguard their operations in this dynamic industry,” De Klerk concludes.

For more information on Datacentrix’s cybersecurity services, please visit https://www.datacentrix.co.za/security-services.html

About Datacentrix:

Datacentrix provides leading ICT integration services and solutions to South African organisations, ensuring their success and sustainability into the digital age. The company’s approach is to partner with its customers, equipping them with valuable insight and helping to align their ICT undertakings with their business strategy.

Datacentrix offers a deeply specialised skills component and is endorsed by the world’s foremost technology partners. The company is recognised for its agility, in-depth industry knowledge, proven capability and strong overall performance.

Datacentrix is a Level One (AAA) B-BBEE Contributor, with 135 percent procurement recognition. For more information, please visit www.datacentrix.co.za.

CONTACTS

icomm, Nicola Read, 083 269 2227, datacentrix@pr.co.za, www.icomm-pr.co.za