Question NW3541 to the Minister of Transport

Reply:

Department

1. No damage
2. Not applicable
3. Not applicable
4. Not applicable

Air Traffic and Navigation Services SOC Limited (ATNS)

1. No damage

1. N/a

1. N/a

1. N/a

Airport Company South Africa (ACSA)

Tabulated below is detailed and estimated cost of damage to our infrastructure during the recent adverse weather.

ORTIA	CTIA	KSIA	Regional
Smoke extraction unit on 4th floor of ACSA office building Ceiling boards and carpets 1 lucabon cladding panel	Eave panel at terminal dislodged and fell with no additional damage	Terminal building roof sheeting in selected area Multi-storey parking building roof sheeting movement Flooding in selected valve chambers	None

(b) Estimated cost of repair/replace/expert inspection and recertification/emergency procurement:

R7, 5million

(c) EAM Division at ACSA with repairs through various service providers, this will also entail condition assert of the integrity of structure and buildings.

(d) Airport Operations back to normal with affected areas isolated/ cordoned off public

South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)

SACAA had no infrastructural damage caused by the natural disaster in October 2017.

Cross-Border Road Transport Agency

(a) The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency has not had any infrastructural damage in October 2017 due to natural disaster.

(b) – (d) Not applicable

Road Accident Fund

(a) No infrastructural damage has been caused by the natural disaster in October 2017 to the infrastructure of the Road Accident Fund, paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) are therefore not applicable

Road Traffic Infringement Agency

1. None
2. Not Applicable
3. Not Applicable

Not Applicable

Road Traffic Management Corporation

(a) No infrastructural damage has been caused by the natural disaster in October 2017 to the infrastructure of the Road Accident Fund, paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) are therefore not applicable

South African National Roads Agency Limited

1. Kwazulu Natal: The visible damages caused to SANRAL road infrastructure during the recent October 2017 floods/storm in KZN are as follows:

• Road signs were blown away,
• Box and pipe Culverts and associated outlets structures were damaged,
• Isolated erosion of road embankment, and
• Damage to storm water channels.

Latent damages to the section of the road that was submerged under water during the storm is not possible to quantify at this early stage.Kwazulu Natal: The quantified visible damage is estimated at R7 470 800.00. This figure is an estimate and the final accurate cost will be known once all the repairs are complete.

1. Kwazulu Natal: Cleaning up of debris on top of structures has been completed and currently still in progress with cleaning of debris underneath structures. The extensive repairs required on culverts and embankments has been assessed for safety by Professional Engineers and was found not to pose any immediate danger or disadvantage to users. The procurement process to repair these structures has commenced as per National Treasury regulations.

Gauteng: SANRAL has received the detailed independent evaluation report with regard to the flooding that occurred on N12 and N3 on 9th November 2016. The procurement processes to implement the recommend major remedial measures has commenced as per National Treasury regulations.

1. Kwazulu Natal: As mentioned above, the damaged infrastructure was assessed by Professional Engineers and confirmed that it poses no immediate danger nor disadvantage to the users. Currently no SANRAL road or structure is still closed for users.

Gauteng: SANRAL is busy on-site with the implementing of the N12 minor remedial measures as was recommend by the independent evaluation report.

Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA)

a) The storm of 10 October 2017 caused significant damage to the PRASA infrastructure assets in the region. See collage below of some affected areas.

The areas affected were:

Railway Track (Permanent Way)

	LOCATION	DAMAGE
1	Isipingo – Umbogintwini section	Embankment washaway
		Mast poles fell over tracks
		Sand washed onto tracks
2	Umgababa	Tracks covered with soil
3	Amanzimtoti Station	Platform washaway
4	Pelgrim – Isipingo section	Washaway
5	Pilgrim Station	Embankment washaway
6	Phahla – Amanzimtoti section	Track under water
		Washaway
		Culvert blocked
		Sand on tracks
		Embankment washaway
7	Winkelspruit	Soil over tracks
8	Montclair – Reunion section	Wall collapsed next to track
9	Seaview – Rossburgh section	Embankment failure
10	Zwelethu – Lindokuhle section	Embankment failure

 

Electrical Substations

	LOCATION	DAMAGE
1	Umbilo Traction Substation	Electrical substation compromised
2	Booth Traction Substation	Electrical substation compromised
3	Reunion Traction Substation	Electrical substation compromised
4	Northdene Traction Substation	Electrical substation compromised

 

Signalling Equipment

	LOCATION	DAMAGE
1	Reunion precinct	Signals along track damaged
2	Warner Beach Relay Room	Relay room damaged
3	South Coast line	Points machines damaged

b) The estimated cost of the rehabilitation works is estimated at R128.35m.

c) Transnet has been contracted to execute the rehabilitation works. During service disruptions of this nature PRASA endeavours to open lines as soon as they are declared safe for operations, while major repairs may to still occur to restore the infrastructure completely.

This may cause service disruptions during infrastructure works as and when required to fully restore the infrastructure. The two major services still affected by the storms in KZN are the Durban – Wests (Bluff) line and the South Coast line between Amamzimtoti and Reunion. The Bluff line will be opened to traffic by 7 November 2017, while the South Coast line repairs will take up to 4 months to repair.

T repairs effected, where possible to enable the safe passage of trains, albeit at a slow pace. During short service disruptions PRASA provides alternative bus transport between affected stations. Due to the duration of repairs on the South Coast line, PRASA is not in a position to provide alternative bus transport at a cost of R10m for the duration of repairs and advised commuters to make use of alternative public transport. PRASA did approach various avenues to access disaster funding to fund alternative bus transport without success. Disaster funding are earmarked for infrastructure repairs and not operational expenditure such as transport.

 

Ports Regulator of South Africa

1. The Ports Regulator did not experience any infrastructure damage during the October 2017 natural disasters that took place.
2. N/A
3. N/A
4. N/A

South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)

On 10th October around 09:30 hours, a severe storm hit Durban area and the KwaZulu Natal coast with wind force reported to have reached 86 knots. This caused serious damage to vessels docked in Durban harbour and port infrastructure.

The following vessels were affected:

MSC INES (Container Ship):

“MSC INES” owned by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, broke loose from her berth and drifted within the harbour making contact to other vessels in the vicinity (Maersk Vallvik and the quay side infrastructure) while drifting towards the port entrance and ran aground thus blocking the port entrance. SAMSA and TNPA jointly took a decision to attend to the vessel as matter of priority. 5 tugs were utilized in pulling out the stranded vessel and clearing the port entrance. The refloating operation took about 6.5hours, the vessel was secured alongside E-shed berth at 18:00.

BOW TRIUMPH (Product Tanker):

The “Bow Triumph” was aground on the sand bank as a result of breaking loose from Island View berth No 2 due to gale force winds. Two tugs were utilized to refloat the vessel and around 18:00 the vessel was secured to its allotted berth.

MS NEW YORK (Container Ship):

MS New York drifted from berth, made contact with “MSC Ines” and ran aground off berth 204 on the sand bank in the harbour. Two tugs were used in the refloating operation and the vessel was secured around 18:30 at P – shed.

MSC SUSANNA (Container Ship):

MSC Susana broke moorings from berth 108 and while drifting made contact with other vessels in the vicinity (French Navy vessel, HS Rossini and MOL vessel). Two tugs were made fast to her and at around 18:53 she was secured alongside at M-Shed. Three 40ft containers were dislodged from the ship and fell into the water with the first container recovered on the 12th October and subsequently the second one. The third container was recovered on the 28th October 2017.

 

MARITIME NEWANDA (Bulk Carrier):

Vessel broke loose at Maydon Wharf 5 and landed alongside construction barges at Maydon Wharf 6. She was attended and safely secured to her berth Maydon Wharf 5 at about 18:00. On inspection minor damages observed to paint work.

S.A SHIPYARDS:

The Floating Dock with the new build tug alongside the dock broke loose and ran aground on the sand bank. These were refloated and secured the following day (11th October 2017) at SA Shipyard dock. No apparent damage has been reported.

NEW PIER 1

Straddle carrier at New Pier 104 toppled into the water from quay side and was recovered on the 03rd November 2017, extent of damage is being assessed.

Pollution:

Due to the storm in the entire Ethekwini area, substantial quantity of storm water, debris and other pollutants made way into the harbour waters. Two of the three dislodged containers from the MSC SUSANNA loaded with 25 kg bags of plastic pellets fell in the water and suffered damage / were breached and plastic pellets spilled into the sea. One container was recovered on 12 October, several bags were retrieved within the port waters and a clean-up operation was implemented by port pollution control department assisted by a subcontracted third party. The second container was recovered on the 28th October 2017. The plastic pellets mixed with other debris subsequently made its way to the ocean resulting in the pollution reported on the coastal areas and the harbour.

The third container had a cargo of energy drinks and it posed no risk of pollution, the fourth one contained vehicle spare parts.

Action taken

On the 24th October 2017, a meeting in response to the pollution that had already taken place was held at the Harbour Masters office, SAMSA, TNPA, DEA, KZN wildlife and COGTA representatives were in attendance. Chairing the meeting was the DEA Chief Director. The discussions in the meeting was to determine the source of pollution and the measures already taken to manage the spread and impact on the affected areas.

Underwater drones and multi beam survey and divers were deployed by TNPA to expedite recovery of sunken containers which were a source of pollution and danger to navigation.

Outcome of the meeting;

• Engage with the ship owner in order to facilitate the assessment of the extent of pollution in all the reported affected areas and to initiate a methodology for the clean-up and recovery of pollutants.
• Affected municipalities need to be engaged in order to assist with the clean-up and recovery.
• SAMSA to undertake the monitoring and oversight role on the progress of the decisions taken, and engage the ship owner regarding his/her responsibilities of the entire incident.
• SAMSA met with MSC Director of Operations and TNPA Harbour Master to discuss the liability of the carrier MSC in relation to the pollution incident.

Further follow Up Meeting held on the 25th October 2017

Present at the meeting was SAMSA, MSC representatives, P&I representatives, TNPA (Harbour Master/ Pollution Control Department) and service provider DRIZIT.

• A directive was served to the ship owners and MSC agreed to abide with the conditions of the SAMSA directive for the clean-up operation. A voluntary clean-up and recovery process was initiated by cargo owners SABIC who appointed a service provider DRIZIT.
• Area survey of beaches up to Umhlanga on North Coast and and Umkomas on the South Coast beaches was conducted by service provider and SAMSA representative in attendance which revealed miniscule presence of plastic pellets at the high water mark on the coast. Aggressive cleaning approach with a defined search pattern was implemented by SAMSA, TNPA, DEA and service providers.
• A central collection point at Durban ski-boat club was set up where the plastic pellets could be dropped off. A toll free number was released to public to enable contacting the service provider 24 x 7 of any sightings of pellets and information on pollution.

Infrastructure repairs and clean-up cost

An assessment to quantify the cost of infrastructure repairs is being evaluated by TNPA and would be available once the assessment is completed.

Cost of clean-up of the harbour area and the affected coastal areas is on the account of the Shipping Company (MSC), its insurers and P&I Club (West of England)

 

All containers reported to have fallen into the water have been recovered.

Note: It is reported that some plastic pellets have found their way all the way to Humewood Beach in Port Elizabeth but it appears that the concentration is not severe.

Railway Safety Regulator (RSR)

a) None

b) Not applicable

c) Not applicable

d) No applicable