Training of customs
officials is crucial for
the swift f low of cargo
at borders, according to
Lucas Barreto, chairman of the
Botswana Freight Forwarders’
Association.
“We are constantly engaging
with customs top management
to address challenges as and
when they appear,” he told FTW.
“The policies and procedures
are all in place and customs has
been working closely with the
association to put into place
systems that allow for faster
turnaround of trucks – but more
often than not when there is a
problem we find that it is due
to the official at the border post
not necessarily understanding
or knowing what to do.”
He said major inroads had
however been made in recent
years and customs in the
country was working hard
to ensure processes were
user friendly and aimed at
facilitating trade.
“Customs is definitely
working with us in Botswana
and not against us. Our
standing time at border posts
is relatively low in comparison
to many other countries in
southern Africa. When we talk
about a truck delay it is about
six hours at the most,” he said.
This is for most of the
country’s borders bar the
Kazungula border post, said
Barreto. “The issues at Kazungula
are, however, not because of
customs but because of the ferry.
It is not unheard of for a truck to
be waiting in a queue for 14 days
to catch the ferry. It really is a big
problem.”
And with construction on the
bridge crossing the Zambezi finally
under way, delays are expected to
get far worse before they improve.
“Five years from now we can
expect crossing the river to be quick
and relatively simple,
but we have some way to go
before we get there. At this stage
we still have to contend with the
construction works on top of
everything else at the river crossing.”
Barreto said having recently
toured all of the country’s border
posts the association was very
impressed with the customs
operations and the high regard for
freight.
“There is a very real
understanding that we have
got to move goods faster and that
any hold-up adds significant costs,”
he said.
INSERT
6 hours
Kazungula bridge gets moving - not a moment
too soon
Logistics operations in
southern Africa are set to
improve, as construction of the
long-awaited Kazungula Bridge
across the Zambezi River has
finally got
under way.
“It is
indeed good
news,” said
Gareth
Lendrum,
general
manager of Bollore Africa
Logistics in Botswana. “The
impact of the bridge is going
to be massive on logistics
operations. It will significantly
reduce truck standing times and
increase border f low. It will also
allow for the formalisation of a
lot of the clearing that happens
at the
border post
and it will
significantly
improve
the security
situation.”
Cargo
between Botswana and Zambia
is currently moved across the
Zambezi via ferry. It is a slow
and tedious process that often
sees trucks waiting for days to
cross the river, while the lack of
security results in massive cargo
losses.
Construction of the new bridge
that incorporates both road and
rail is set to be completed by 2018
and is estimated to cost around
$259.3 million. The Zambian
and Botswana governments will
finance it with assistance from
the African Development Bank
and the Japan International
Cooperation Agency.
“The bridge has been on the
agenda for many years,” said
Lendrum. “It is a crucial link
for freight from South Africa to
Lusaka and the other mining
towns in Zambia, as well as into
the DRC’s Katanga province.”
Only some 30 trucks are
ferried in each direction per day
and the average waiting time can
be anything from five days to
longer.
A one-stop border post will
be opened where Zambian and
Botswana officials will work
together to move both cargo and
people across the river faster.
Zambia already operates a onestop
border post with Zimbabwe
at Chirundu.
INSERT
14 days
The length of time that can be spent
queuing for the Kazungula ferry.
CAPTION
The Kazungula Ferry ... the source of major border delays.
