• ACTis has raised one flag for the Ports Regulator and placed three under monitoring.
• Actions – and failure to act – by former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mukondeleli Mulaudzi, the current Board and former Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga compromised the governance and stability of the Ports Regulator. Lack of accountability and a climate of fear protected those implicated in misconduct and corruption within the institution.
• Irregular contracts, financial malpractices and staff who engaged in corruption or unethical behaviour may be inherited by the new TER. Addressing these issues as the new institution takes shape will be important to prevent the perpetuation of fault lines for corruption.
• Many of the ports that the Ports Regulator is responsible for have been in a state of prolonged crisis. A 2026 World Bank report on global ports ranked Cape Town as the worst-performing in the world for operational efficiency, with Durban ranked the third lowest.