Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has appointed Pamela Yoyo Nelson Mandela Bay ports manager, effective March 1, with the mandate of managing the ports of Ngqura and Port Elizabeth as a single port complex with centralised business support services.

According to TNPA, Yoyo brings a “wealth of diverse experience” in port terminal operations, having held senior positions in human resources and terminal operations at Transnet Port Terminals (TPT).

In her tenure at TPT, Yoyo led transformation projects, including an achievement of enhanced performance norms in port operations and the migration from a terminal-based incentive scheme to a centralised operating division incentive scheme.

She has a master’s degree in transport and logistics from Stellenbosch University and a postgraduate certificate in strategic business leadership from the University of Cranefield, in the UK.

Yoyo also holds a Bphil maritime studies certificate from Stellenbosch University, as well as a B-tech degree in human resource management.

Yoyo’s work commitment over the years has earned her awards such as the TPT Individual award in the CE’s Ground Breaker “Eagle” category and an operational efficiency award.

The Ngqura and Port Elizabeth ports, located 23 km apart, have a similar customer base and serve the same region.

TNPA intends for the single port complex to lower the cost of doing business in the region, satisfy customer needs to a greater degree and improve port efficiency.

The Port of Port Elizabeth is positioned to focus on so-called “clean cargo” such as for clients in the automotive industry and fishing companies, besides others, while the Port of Ngqura is a dedicated deep-water port that handles industrial commodities such as manganese, liquid bulk cargo and containers.

These two ports are treated as two port precincts functioning on a complementary basis as aligned to TNPA’s complementary port system model.

Yoyo’s appointment concludes the recruitment process of all the TNPA port managers on all eight of South Africa’s commercial and seaports.