According to the press Transnet, the state-owned freight and logistics company, has set aside R20 million to spend in mergers and acquisitions both inside and outside of South Africa.

Transnet’s chief executive, Siyabonga Gama, was quoted as saying that the company would pursue growth opportunities abroad in the face of limited organic growth prospects in South Africa because of low economic growth.

The fishing rights allocation has made headlines once again this week with the ANC coming under fire from its West Coast region, which has threatened action over the allocation process. The region has stated that the current process benefited white companies to the detriment of small-scale fishers.

ANC acting provincial chairperson Khaya Magaxa said, “We appreciate the fact that the ANC at a national level is trying by all means to make some strategic intervention in terms of the allocation of fishing rights, to the benefit of the poor – acknowledging that in the past there’s been a consistent bias towards the rich, well-established companies.

“If there’s no change, we as the ANC are prepared to take this matter to the streets.”

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) spokesperson, Palesa Mokomele, said that the department would only make rights allocations to small-scale fishers in 2017.

Another perlemoen bust was reported on in the press this week. This time police confiscated approximately R1 million worth of perlemoen in Edgemead in Cape Town.

The bust resulted in the confiscation of both dried and frozen perlemoen, as well as an unreported quantity of shark fins.

The Sunday Times this week published a story about how the tide of fortune has finally turned in the favour of Martin Blake and a small group of fishermen in Langebaan who are fighting for the right to return to their fishing grounds in the Langebaan lagoon.

DAFF has been ordered by the court to set aside permit restrictions that exclude part of the lagoon. Judge Julian Sher concurred with the fishermen that they had been unfairly discriminated against and ordered the fishing department to come to some kind of compromise.

DAFF spokesperson, Palesa Mokomele said, “We are studying the judgment and its effect and we will engage other departments to determine the way forward. We will thereafter meet the community members.”