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Transnet rail, port services resume as workers return
South African railway and ports operator Transnet Ltd. may raise its services to about 70 percent of capacity after most members of the United Transport and Allied Trade Union ended a strike and returned to work, the union said.
"Trains have started running again and the guys are working to help clear the backlogs at the ports," Utatu General Secretary Chris de Vos said by phone today. "We may be able to run at about 70 percent tomorrow."
A strike called by a separate group, the South African Transport & Allied Workers' Union, will continue. State-owned Transnet's 54,000 employees operate most of the country's freight infrastructure.
Xstrata Plc, Samancor Ltd., Exxaro Resources Ltd. and Ruukki Group are among companies affected by the industrial action and say they can't guarantee delivery of ferrochrome or coal. South Africa is the world's biggest ferrochrome producer and the largest supplier of power plant coal to Europe.