Durban - Transnet has taken ownership of the Old Durban
International Airport site for the development of a proposed dig-out port which
will cost R75bn.
The Airports Company SA officially handed over the site,
which lies south of the city, to Transnet in Durban on Thursday.
Minister of Public Enterprises Malusi Gigaba said the
dig-out port was expected to create 64 000 jobs during construction and 28 000
permanent jobs when operational.
"Today represents the start of an exciting chapter in
South Africa's infrastructure development programme and the critical role state-owned
companies, especially those of the department of public enterprises, are
playing in transforming our economy," Gigaba said.
He had met with communities which would be affected both
positively and negatively by the proposed development on Wednesday.
The proposed dig-out port would be built in four phases,
with the first phases scheduled to start in 2016, and commissioned by 2020.
Follow Fin24 on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest