Widespread violence and looting have triggered declarations of force majeure at ports in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal, threatening to stall exports of chrome and manganese.
Transnet, the South African national logistics service, declared
force majeure on Monday July 12 for operations at the ports of Durban and Richards Bay.
The violence "has now reached proportions beyond the control of the local law enforcement and security services," Transnet said.
The violence was sparked by the jailing of former South African president Jacob Zuma. Zuma handed himself in to police on July 8, to begin serving a 15-month sentence issued
in absentia after his refusal to appear in front of a corruption inquiry.
So far, the violence has been concentrated in Zuma's home province of KwaZula-Natal. The province, in eastern South Africa, is the location of two major ports, Richard's Bay and Durban, which are key export routes for chrome and manganese ore.
Bulk Connections, a bulk handling facility in Durban, on July 13 warned that all operations had been suspended.
"Unfortunately, the civil unrest...