Transnet authorities are putting the blame on the weather for disrupting the handling by cranes of ships docking in the chaotic ports of Durban and Richards Bay.

The revelations were made after an outcry over the congestion caused by coal trucks causing massive traffic jams on the N2 in northern KwaZulu-Natal and at the Durban harbour while waiting in queues for days to be processed.

At least 63 vessels were waiting at sea in Durban last week to be booked in and the backlog is estimated to only be cleared by February 2024.

Trucks from Mpumalanga coal mines have turned the N2 in eMpangeni into a waiting station to enter Richards Bay to offload coal waiting to be shipped to Europe.

Cargo ships are said to be spending about four months at sea, waiting to enter the ports while trucks are parked on the N2 and John Ross Highway for weeks.

Bonginkosi Mabaso from Transnet told the SABC's uKhozi FM that the equipment they use at their ports is affected by the weather. He said at the moment work was disrupted because of the floods that wreaked havoc in some parts of KZN.

"We are planning to buy new equipment to improve the infrastructure. We are also being assisted by the private sector to improve the performance of the ports and the whole organisation," said Mabaso.

He also said they were working on building 500 km of railway line between Gauteng and KZN which will hopefully see a decrease in the number of trucks on the roads.

In Richards Bay, the City of uMhlathuze has threatened to take legal action against Transnet, which it has been accused of failing to come up with the funding model to help the municipality to pay traffic police overtime.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said he is worried about the lack of accountability and proper planning which has led to the ports crisis.

During the visit to Richards Bay harbour, Ramaphosa was told that Transnet is negotiating with uMhlathuze Municipality to secure vacant land where trucks can queue safely.

The City of uMhlathuze Communications Manager Bongani Gina told Scrolla.Africa they are in talks with Transnet over a land that was reserved for Economic Development which is close to the sea.