Ramaphosa to Visit Eastern Cape to Boost Port Operations, Service Delivery

President Ramaphosa, along with several Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers, will engage in a joint meeting with Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and members of the Provincial Executive Council (PEC).

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to embark on a strategic oversight visit to the Eastern Cape province this week, as part of his ongoing programme to strengthen cooperative governance and accelerate infrastructure-led economic development across South Africa.

The visit, which forms part of the Presidential District Development Model (DDM) outreach, will commence on Tuesday, with a focused engagement at the Port of Ngqura — one of the country’s most advanced and strategically positioned maritime facilities. Located within the Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ), the deep-water port is designed to handle high-capacity container vessels and is envisioned as a regional transshipment hub serving the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and beyond.

The Presidency, in a statement issued ahead of the visit, confirmed that President Ramaphosa will receive a detailed briefing from Transnet leadership on current operations, challenges, and future plans to enhance efficiency and productivity at the port. The briefing is expected to include updates on critical infrastructure projects, technological upgrades, and ongoing efforts to position the port as a driver of industrial growth, trade facilitation, and job creation in the region.

“The President will receive an update on plans to improve operational efficiencies at the port and projects currently underway,” the Presidency said, emphasizing the government’s commitment to revitalizing key logistics nodes as part of South Africa’s economic recovery strategy.

The Port of Ngqura, which opened in 2009, is South Africa’s newest deep-water port and offers modern infrastructure that supports rapid container throughput, bulk handling, and specialized maritime services. Its proximity to the Coega SEZ, which hosts a wide array of manufacturing and logistics enterprises, makes it a cornerstone of regional and national development planning.

On Wednesday, the focus of the President’s programme will shift to governance, service delivery, and developmental planning. President Ramaphosa, along with several Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers, will engage in a joint meeting with Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and members of the Provincial Executive Council (PEC).

This high-level engagement will examine current socio-economic conditions in the province, assess progress on key developmental initiatives, and identify opportunities for closer alignment between national and provincial priorities. The interaction is also expected to tackle challenges related to municipal governance, infrastructure backlogs, youth unemployment, and access to basic services.

“The national and provincial executives will discuss various approaches to improving service delivery at local government level,” the Presidency stated, highlighting the administration’s ongoing effort to implement the District Development Model. This model promotes a unified, all-of-government approach to development that coordinates planning and service delivery across all spheres of government.

This week’s engagement marks the fifth in a series of presidential working visits to provinces, following earlier meetings with provincial governments in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Gauteng. These visits are designed to improve coherence between national policies and local implementation, especially in areas where underperformance and community dissatisfaction with service delivery have persisted.

The Eastern Cape visit is of particular importance, given the province’s unique developmental challenges, such as infrastructure deficits, high unemployment, and rural underdevelopment. At the same time, it holds significant economic potential — especially in the automotive, agro-processing, renewable energy, and maritime sectors — all of which are central to the Coega SEZ strategy.

As part of the engagement, President Ramaphosa will also conduct community outreach and site inspections, demonstrating his administration’s commitment to a hands-on leadership approach.

The Presidency affirmed that the outcomes of the visit will feed into the broader strategy of the 7th Administration, which aims to deliver measurable improvements in governance, service delivery, and economic development, particularly at the district and local level.

President Ramaphosa’s visit will underscore the need for accelerated implementation of development programmes, improved accountability across government institutions, and deeper collaboration between stakeholders to unlock inclusive growth and better living conditions for all South Africans.