-- The Durban Container Terminal (DCT), Africa's busiest port, has a three-week container backlog to clear after workers walked off the job for three days this month.

The strike, which ended on December 6, brought the country's harbours to a standstill, according to South African port authorities.

South African Port Operations chief executive Tau Morwe told Reuters that while Cape Town, Richards Bay and Port Elizabeth ports were back to normal, DCT was operating at 95 percent capacity, and had a backlog of more than 15,000 containers.

"Ships are currently offloading and we need all available stacking space we can get. Any delays can have a drastic effect," Mr Morwe said.

Eight ships were berthed at DCT, seven more were waiting outside the port, and another 37 would pass through the port this month.

DCT has embarked on a 1.34 billion rand (USD119.9 million) upgrade of its container-handling equipment, which will include buying 60 straddle cranes. Five straddles have already arrived and are being assembled.