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Region: Commonwealth of Liberty

LodgedFromMessages


The Commonwealth of Nonador

      UMHLABA WABANTU | IN ZULU

      DIE BANTOEWERELD | IN AFRIKAANS

      ILIZWE LABANTU | IN XHOSA

      THE BANTU WORLD | IN ENGLISH

       
      January Edition — 1940

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    Diversity in thought and view Strengthens the People
    Dependable Source of News and Current Events from Across the Dominion

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      INLAND PORTS OF SOUTH AFRICA - LINKS TO THE CONTINENT, PATHWAY TO VICTORY;
       

    | WINDHOEK — The capital of the Southwestern Africa territory, Windhoek stood at the heart of the Khomas Plateau, at the boundary which traditionally divided the Nama and Herero peoples. There German colonial officials established a Church and School to ‘civilize’ the native inhabitants of the land, not far from its growing colonial possessions along the coast at Walvis Bay and Luderitz. Since obtaining the territory during the Great War, Windhoek has continuously served as the administrative center of the territory, and neutral meeting ground for the various tribal groups who dominate Southwestern Africa. Rising in importance to the Dominion at-large, Windhoek has become the home of workers within nearby mines, and those constructing South Africa’s western connection to the Portuguese Trans-African Railway. Since joining the project in 1938, the city has become one of the most important transit hubs on the continent - the end point of the Cape-to-Cairo’s Atlantic route, and southern extreme of the Portuguese network. With the outbreak of war just a few short months ago, the Dominion of South Africa has launched an audacious program of mobilization - capitalizing on industrial expansions conducted over the last few years. Where civil and commercial vehicles flowed out of the fledgling auto factories, now South African-designed armored vehicles - Where commercial aircraft were being produced by SAAC, now replacement parts for South Africa’s air force as well as prototype domestic warplanes. It goes without mentioning, the expansion of South Africa’s shipbuilding industry which received a boost in government contracts beginning nearly five years ago. The implications of this mobilization, was a systematic growth in the munitions and equipment stockpile of South Africa, ahead of the anticipated outbreak of war - bringing with it new high paying jobs, even for those who were once locked out of such opportunities from Women to Native South Africans. The implication, a growing need for the creation of new “Arsenals” from which Commonwealth forces can be supplied throughout the continent using existing and new infrastructure..

    At Windhoek, Midrand, Beaufort West and Polokwane - the Ministry of Commerce announced with several major commercial partners, the formation of new “Inland Ports” to boost logistical efficiency within the Dominion in support of its efforts abroad. Capitalizing upon connections to domestic and continental rail lines, these “Ports” are envisioned as major Intermodal transit hubs, storages, and distribution centers. Each with greatly expanded rail yard and maintenance facilities, they will operate as centralized locations from which resources, munitions, goods, and equipment can be quickly diverted to various theaters of war.

    Conflict brings with it vigorous recovery from economic downturn, economists have long contended. Such is being witnessed around the globe, that while one form of suffering has replaced another, the eventuality of peace sparks hope as prices rise in all sectors to pre-depression levels as demand increases. New Jobs for South Africans, not just in the Armed Services, nor in the Factories or Fields, but at the Inland Ports - are promised usher in a new era for South Africa. Such is the mandate of the South African Inland Port Authority (SAIPA), created to administer and plan the operation/expansion of these ports. Governed by an Executive Board comprised of 20 members, half from the private sector, a quarter from prestigious Universities (Intellectuals) and another quarter from the local municipalities where the ports are operated. SAIPA is poised to become a public ally traded company, with 20% of shares owned by the national government and the remaining 80% owned by private South Africans — working in conjunction with the Transcontinental Rail Commission, and South African Rail & Port Authority, who will share jurisdiction with SAIPA in one form or another. Plans for port operations outline the creation of some 8,000 jobs in 1940 alone — from Yard workers, to truck drivers, Construction/Maintenance personnel, and Inspectors with that number expected to grow exponentially as the war continues, and even into the future upon the resumption of normal trade within the continent. Even as attention to the war dominates plans for the port, the new SAIPA made clear that it’s plans would include measure for long term sustainability in every aspect, from standardizing the size of shipping containers fit for both rail and maritime transit, to addressing environmental concerns that rapid industrialization poses in the face of Africa’s unique nature scape.

    The announcement of this initiative has been met with public support, especially from both war planners and industrialists who have continuously raised concerns about the logistical nightmare presented by war on the continent.

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