DURBAN – Transnet National Port Authority’s chief harbour master, Rufus Lekala, has graduated with a postgraduate diploma in maritime studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).
After driving a taxi for five years in Mamelodi, Pretoria, Lekala’s life changed when he was offered a Transnet bursary to pursue a diploma in maritime studies. A rising star in his field, Lekala continued to move up the ladder until he became the chief harbour master in 2011.
Eager to continue learning and growing his career, Lekala graduated with a postgraduate diploma in maritime studies at UKZN’s May 2021 graduation ceremony.
“I feel really proud of myself, but more importantly, I’m grateful for the support and encouragement of my family,” said the married father of three.
Lekala’s career in the maritime sector started at the erstwhile Cape Technikon in 1995, after he received a bursary from Transnet.
He started out at Transnet as tug master in the Port of Cape Town, and went on to serve as a marine pilot in the Port of Saldanha Bay.
Lekala was the first black harbour master in the Port of East London in 2002, and later in Cape Town and Durban prior to his appointment as chief harbour master of Transnet’s National Port Authority in June, 2011.
Lekala said his career choice was not planned, but rather he stumbled into the maritime sector.
“There was nothing that inspired me to join the sector. I was in desperate need of a career that would take my family and I out of poverty. Fortunately, the maritime sector presented itself as a home that I would never trade for anything,” he said.
Since then, Lekala has made his mark in the various positions he occupied over the years.
UKZN said as chief harbour master, he is tasked with the serious responsibility of overseeing the planning and execution of port marine operations such as designating where vessels should lie within the harbour, vessel traffic management services, provision of pilot services, conservancy and other marine-related operations.
The university said Lekala is currently reading for a master of commerce in maritime studies through UKZN.
“His study focuses on the impact of the changing container vessel sizes on ports, and he is exploring the cascading effects of the perspective of the South African complementary container ports system in Durban, Ngqura and Cape Town,” said UKZN.
Acting director of UKZN’s unit of maritime law and maritime studies, Dr Dusty-Lee Donnelly congratulated Lekala on his academic achievement and wished him well in his future research endeavours.