FESARTA Updates
Priority Problem Issues Faced By Transporters
Infrastructure including roads, bridges, city bypasses:
Road conditions Kapiri Mposhi to Nakonde and Lubumbashi to Kolwezi, very bad
Border post infrastructure:
Some border posts (eg Tunduma) have old and inadequate infrastructure for the traffic flow
Border procedures and documentation:
There is no integrated border management and duplication of procedures on two sides
Customs bonds:
Customs bonds are expensive and sometimes have problems with acquittals
Driver wellness:
Drivers’ health is not taken seriously enough
Drivers’ immigration and visas:
Reputable drivers do not have free access to countries
Drivers Licence and PrDP:
Drivers licence and PrDP are not harmonised and some are not acceptable in countries
Road safety:
Accident rate is high because of poor driver training and inadequate discipline
Road transport agreements and market access:
Transporters cannot freely operate to and from some countries
Self regulation and accreditation:
The relationship between transporters and enforcement authorities is not good
Corruption and smuggling:
Corruption is rife wherever there are road blocks and border delays
Fitness of vehicles:
There are too many unroadworthy vehicles on our roads
Security and hijacking:
There are not enough safe parking places to protect against theft and hijacking
Insurance of vehicles and/or loads:
3rd party insurance is not harmonised, some costs are high and cash must be carried
Road user charges:
Some countries impose very high road user charges
Weighbridges and load limits:
Weighbridges give different readings and/or limits and tolerances are not harmonised
Abnormal loads:
Regulations for moving abnormal loads are not harmonised and costs are too high
Dangerous goods:
Regulations for moving dangerous goods are not harmonised, so compromising safety
Left hand drive trucks:
Countries are moving towards banning the importation of left hand drive trucks
Charges and taxes:
Countries arbitrarily introduce unjustified and high charges
General:
Recommendations by RECs are not implemented at National level
Accident rate is high because of poor driver training and inadequate discipline. There are too many unroadworthy vehicles on our roads.
There are not enough safe parking places to protect against theft and hijacking .There is no integrated border management and duplication of procedures on two sides. Some countries impose very high road user charges.
Recently we have the (perennial) EMA permits and Ad Hoc tariffs that always appear close to Xmas. Is this a pattern we see developing?? No receipts. The problems we experience with organisations created to deal (effectively) with all these issues (like CBRTA) but who just add costs into the chain without any real benefit. The customs processes being followed here in SA – have no real value north of the border in terms of acquittals and the like. We constantly hear of targeting of SA hauliers by police and other officials (I would presume the same happens here?) and how legal extortion takes place otherwise drivers and vehicles are impounded.
Border procedures and documentation:
There is no integrated border management and duplication of procedures on two sides
Corruption and smuggling:
Corruption is rife wherever there are road blocks and border delays
Weighbridges and load limits:
Weighbridges give different readings and/or limits and tolerances are not harmonised
Left hand drive trucks: XX
Countries are moving towards banning the importation of left hand drive trucks
Charges and taxes:
Countries arbitrarily introduce unjustified and high charges
General
Pushing costs up too high will make road less competitive against rail
Border post infrastructure:
Some border posts (eg Tunduma) have old and inadequate infrastructure for the traffic flow
Border procedures and documentation: There is no integrated border management and duplication of procedures on two sides
Driver wellness:
Drivers’ health is not taken seriously enough
Corruption and smuggling:
Corruption is rife wherever there are road blocks and border delays
Left hand drive trucks:
Countries are moving towards banning the importation of left hand drive trucks
DRIVERS WELLNESS 1
80% if not more, the driver is managing the truck to deliver on set business targets. Thus the need to recruit the right person, train and orientate the driver to feel part of the team. Once motivated, he becomes a great asset to the organization; able to solve most of road challenges diligently without wasting time to involve management first. Will take good care of the vehicle and bring the cost of maintenance down.
BORDER POSTS PROCEDURES/DOCUMENTATION 2
Urgent need to streamline documentation and clearance procedures at border posts to hasten the process without again, compromising on safety and security elements
LOAD LIMITS/WEIGHBRID 3
Need for legal requirements both for transporters and concerned government agencies to be objective and practical to save on time and unnecessary inconveniences. Weighbridges should be frequently calibrated and uniformly managed.
SELF-REGULATION/ACCREDITATION 4
The need for every transporter to belong to an association that has self regulatory mechanism in place is urgent. This will be the only way to fight rogue transporters and over loaders.
Costa Zim
- Zimra – agents connectivity (due to the upgrading process of Asycuda World) is very poor thus seriously causing delays – on average 2 days for transit and 3 days consumption if docs are e-mailed for pre-clearance. It is even worse on consoles
- Zimra – assessment of documents takes too long and printing of releases is taking more than a day
- SARS is now sending northbound rigs to Zim side without waiting for Zimra Notifications. Trucks are now being fined parking fees for sleeping over in Zimra, though operators have vehemently refused to pay. It appears as if trucks are overstaying on Zim side.
- At the same time southbound trucks are not being allowed to cross without notifications to RSA side. Thus worsening the broad picture.
