One of the “less obvious” impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic has been its effect on public perception of logistics, according to the 2020 Namibia State of Logistics Report. Respondents to a questionnaire used to inform the report are quoted as saying that traditionally logistics and the supply chain are hidden industries that are “invisible as long as shelves are full”, so “few people understand what logistics really means”. In times of crisis, when shortages start to occur, travelling restrictions and border closures lead to out-of-stock situations, and people begin to notice its existence.“The pandemic has made people realise the important role of logistics and people now understand that logistics is an essential service,” stated respondents. “In general, public perception has been raised and, even where this was negative, it provides an opportunity to build a positive future,” state the authors Brighten Simasiku and Lydia Jackie. Problems at the land borders loomed large in the minds of respondents. “Border delays combined with manufacturer stoppage and supplier failures led to stock issues – and these account for a significant tranche of the themes,” the report found. Importers reported receiving stock late and often out of date, or simply no stock at all.As a result, a number of respondents found new suppliers. Similarly, the logistics industry has had to change the way it does business. “We need to diversify our logistics operations to satisfy our customers, and the industry must position itself for post-Covid demand,” were two of the responses. Namibian logistics companies are also looking at ways of cutting costs through greater collaboration in the supply chain, digitisation, automation and reducing head count.For its part, government needs to build more roads and upgrade the existing infrastructure, according to the respondents.
