The City of uMhlathuze has today marked a major milestone with the official reopening of the newly renovated and refurbished uMhlathuze Sports Complex. The event was led by the Mayor, Cllr Xolani Ngwezi, alongside Deputy Mayor Cllr Christo Botha, Speaker Cllr AT Gumede, local Councillors, and municipal officials.

In a celebratory ceremony filled with energy and anticipation, Mayor Ngwezi cut the ribbon not only to officially open the upgraded stadium but also to unveil a new Municipal fleet aimed at enhancing service delivery across the City.

Delivering His keynote address, Mayor Ngwezi expressed deep pride in the progress made under the leadership of the IFP-led coalition government. He highlighted the City’s commitment to revitalizing sports infrastructure, youth development, and regional economic growth.

“We refused to sit and do nothing because we are passionate about sports and most importantly, we understand what the functionality of this stadium will do for sports development and economic spinoffs in our region,” the Mayor said.

The stadium, which had previously failed to meet Premier Soccer League (PSL) standards, has undergone extensive upgrades aligned with requirements from PSL COO Prof Ronnie Schloss. These include:

- Grandstand waterproofing and capacity expansion from 4,000 to 10,500 seats

- Renovated change rooms, offices, and boardrooms

- New VIP and media access roads, turnstiles, and parking

- Enhanced security and IT infrastructure including CCTV and fire detection systems

- Rehabilitation of the main pitch and new dugouts

- Construction of training fields, ablution facilities, and market stalls

- Upgraded lighting and installation of a backup generator for night games

The second phase of construction, set to be completed by December 2025, will include a canvas roof for the grandstand and two new training fields.

In addition to celebrating the infrastructure upgrades, the City also received praise from Richards Bay Football Club Chairman, Mr. Jomo Biyela, who welcomed the reopening of the stadium.

Playing away from home was costing the club significantly. With the reopening of the uMhlathuze Sports Complex, this brings a huge financial relief to the team and a renewed sense of home pride for our players and supporters, said Mr J Biyela.

Mayor Ngwezi further revealed that several teams including Richards Bay FC, Milford FC, and INsingizini Football Club from eSwatini have formally requested to use the stadium as their home ground, reinforcing the facility’s growing regional importance.

The Mayor emphasized that the upgraded stadium will serve as a catalyst for sports development, job creation, and community upliftment. Richards Bay will no longer just be known for its port and industry. We now add a top-tier sports facility to our identity, said Mayor Ngwezi.

The complex will host the KZN Premier’s Cup on the weekend of 25–26 July as a grand curtain-raiser. The tournament will feature top KwaZulu-Natal teams including Richards Bay FC, Milford FC, AmaZulu FC, Lamontville Golden Arrows, Durban City, and Midlands Wonderers signaling the stadium's readiness to stage premier football.

The event closed with the Mayor extending his gratitude to the Department of Sports and Recreation, SAFA, Betway Soccer League stakeholders, municipal teams, contractors, and most importantly, the residents of uMhlathuze.

This stadium belongs to you, concluded Mayor Ngwezi. Let it be a symbol of what unity, vision, and resilience can achieve.

Transnet’s willingness to collaborate with the private sector has been cited as a key reason behind the improved performance. The export boost comes off a low base, but a turnaround needs to begin somewhere. 

Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) exported 52.08 million tonnes of coal in 2024, an increase of 10% on the previous year’s volumes as state-run logistics provider Transnet slowly gets back on track under new management.

RBCT CEO Alan Waller said on 24 January during a media presentation at the terminal that 60 million tonnes was the goal. But for now, that’s an aspiration.

“Fifty-five million tonnes should be achieved in 2025; the question is: can we get to 60 million?” said Waller.

Speaking about the improvements, Waller said Transnet CEO Michelle Phillips and the new management team deserved much of the credit.

“The new leadership has paved the way to allow for collaboration. We had tried for a number of years as industry to influence things but it was not well received,” he said.

In recent years, Transnet’s mismanagement and operational woes have cost South Africa’s mining sector tens of billions of rands annually in lost export revenue, with ripple effects across the wider economy, including lost inflows of foreign exchange.

This state of affairs has been thrown into sharp relief by the curtailed export flows from RBCT, which is designed specifically for handling coal by rail and cannot switch to trucks as an alternative.

In 2017, RBCT’s coal export volumes reached a record 76.47 million tonnes before gradually falling to just over 70 million tonnes in 2020. As the wheels came flying off at Transnet, the pace of RBCT’s export decline accelerated, hitting a record low of 47.2 million tonnes in 2023.

Last year’s numbers need to be read in that light. The bounce in 2024 was off a low base and was about 30% less than the peak achieved in 2017.

RBCT is one of the world’s largest coal terminals and has the capacity to handle and ship 91 million tonnes a year, so it is an under-utilised asset.

But a turnaround needs to begin somewhere.

The terminal itself is a sight to behold from the vantage point of its 42m-high control tower, which offers expansive 360-degree views.

Mountains of coal lie stark and dark beneath a sea-blue sky, the facility jarringly ringed by lush green vegetation in a collision of colours.

In the harbour itself, this correspondent counted 15 ships waiting to be loaded, and many others were no doubt out there beyond my view.

Most of the coal that passes through RBCT is bound for India. Of the just over 52 million tonnes shipped in 2024, 44 million tonnes were destined for Asia — by far the world’s largest market for the fossil fuel. India alone accounted for 25.75 million tonnes, almost half the total. DM

Story by: By Ed Stoddard Source: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-26-richards-bay-coal-terminal-exports-rise-by-10-as-transnet-rebounds/

Photo: Andre Meyer Photography 

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