Saepa takes proactive stance against proposed legislation

‘Trying to undo it once enacted is virtually impossible’
RAY SMUTS
HUGE EARNINGS notwithstanding, the express parcel industry represented a fairly united bunch until Garry Marshall came along five years ago and moulded it into a streamlined, cohesive unit, the South African Express Parcel Association. (Saepa) If there is one thing the former MD of Fedex has learnt from the trials and tribulations of dealing with government legislation, often unbeknown to the 100-odd members of the association, it’s that it always pays to be one ahead. “Our primary role,”says Marshall, “is to get involved with government where we are specifically affected - the postal regulator, the department of civil aviation on the airfreight side, the department of transport on the roadfreight side - and ensure they involve us in whatever legislation is contemplated, because trying to undo it once enacted is virtually impossible.” What started out as an informal group has been transformed into Saepa, a R6 billion a year industry with 100 members including the ‘biggies’, DHL, Sun Couriers, UTi, UPS and Dawn Wing, though Marshall concedes this amounts to only some 5% of the total industry. “There are many guys operating one bakkie, and a major carrier of small parcels is the black taxi industry, none of which is registered with us.” He estimates there are around 3 000 players in an industry that is “pumping” at the moment. The majority of Saepa’s business is domestic-generated, the Western Cape accounting for around 20% of volumes.