Modern Mining May 2026
Editor’s take: Caught between a rock and a hard place
In April the effect of the US-Isreal-Iran war become decidedly tangible - the double blow of soaring oil and steep electricity prices sees South African’s face higher prices all round. If the conflict does not subside soon, even greater economic strain and hardship are likely—not only for the countries directly involved, but globally.
Importantly, the conflict is forcing global shipping to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, creating a surge in maritime traffic near South African ports. Shipping operators, including giants like MSC, Maersk, and Hapag-Lloyd, are bypassing the Suez Canal and the Red Sea due to safety risks, rerouting ships around the South African coast. Ports such as Cape Town and Durban are seeing higher volumes of traffic as ships avoid the Persian Gulf.




