702, Saturday evening

Western Cape Health Department says the poor management of the country's ports is affecting the rollout of crucial medication. Provincial Health MEC Moral Wenger has urged Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to intervene in delays at ports. In a letter to Creecy, Wenger called for imported medicines to be prioritised at the beleaguered port of Durban. Camray Clark reports: 12,000 containers were diverted from the port of Durban last month as authorities moved to clear a growing backlog of the terminals.

Handles about 46% of South Africa's container traffic, but has faced more disruptions since the introduction of the Navis N4 operating system. A Filipino company has taken over the terminal's operations under a 25-year contract with a commitment to improve port efficiency. Persistent disruptions have increased costs for importers, exporters, and local businesses. The delays have also impacted medicine supplies in the Western Cape. The province's health MEC, Mireille Wenger, says the disruptions are placing further pressure on already constrained stocks.

Every unnecessary delay in getting medicines into the country is another delay in getting them to the patients who need them. Wena says the department is trying to manage inconsistent medicine supplies by sourcing alternatives and redistributing available stock. She warns these measures are becoming increasingly difficult as shortages persist. Camera Clark, eyewitness news. Staying in the province, the Mobility Department has renewed its call for taxi organizations to resolve.