Andre Klynsmith

Cargo Handling

Paying to Queue: Richards Bay's Gate Zero Staging Fees Under Fire as Transnet Steps Back

The dispute over mandatory Gate Zero truck staging fees at the Port of Richards Bay has intensified after Transnet distanced itself from the system, even though official documents show the state-owned company helped establish and enforce it.

Cargo Handling

8 July 2026 • 3 min read

Transporters hauling bulk cargo into Richards Bay must pay a staging fee before they can offload -- yet many say they still wait up to two days inside the port. With tens of millions of rand collected and nobody clearly accountable, the Gate Zero row has become a test case for who pays for congestion.

"No Ticket, No Entry"

Gate Zero was set up as a collaborative initiative between Transnet, the City of uMhlathuze and MTV Property Group to ease truck congestion and gridlock on the N2 leading into the port. A November 2024 Transnet customer notice described the staging system, set a baseline fee of R5 per tonne and said Transnet personnel would be deployed to integrate the facility with terminal operations.

By January 2025, enforcement had hardened: a joint letter from Transnet Port Terminals and the port manager warned that trucks without a Gate Zero ticket would be refused entry -- "No Ticket, No Entry". Transnet has since told Freight News the facility falls outside port limits and referred questions to the municipality and the facility owner, neither of whom provided answers.

Transporters Say They Pay Without Benefit

Operators argue the fee has added cost without easing congestion. "We're still waiting up to two days to offload in the Port of Richards Bay, so I don't understand the benefit of paying for this staging area," Kireni Logistics owner Elmarie Kleyn told Freight News, adding that no transporters agreed to the arrangement. Others have questioned why Richards Bay is the only South African port where hauliers must pay to use a staging facility, and pointed to deteriorating internal port roads damaging their vehicles.

Industry body AUTLO has asked Transport Minister Barbara Creecy what legal basis exists for the fees and what environmental authorisation was followed. TNPA disputes claims that port roads are in disrepair and says a rehabilitation project begins in July. A new entity, Emma Yakozi, is set to take over the facility in September.

The Bigger Question: Who Pays for Congestion?

Staging areas are a legitimate tool for managing truck flows at busy bulk ports -- Walvis Bay, Maputo and Durban all use booking or staging systems in some form. The Richards Bay dispute is not about whether staging works, but about transparency: who sets the fee, where the revenue goes, and whether paying operators get a measurably faster turnaround in return.

For bulk transporters, mandatory fees that do not shorten queues are simply a margin cut. Until accountability is settled, operators serving Richards Bay have little choice but to treat the fee -- and the standing time -- as a cost of doing business on that lane.

About the Author
	Andre Klynsmith Entrepreneur & Technology Enthusiast Andre's expertise spans technology, blockchain, transport, and logistics -- with a passion for innovation and driving positive change across industries. info@laaimylorrie.com | laaimylorrie.com