The declaration of a state of disaster in Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and South Africa has left many logistics service providers grappling with the challenge of operating in a Covid-19 world. “The first step in facing these challenging times is to accept the brutal reality that it is not business as usual and adapting our business model to align with the regulations and frameworks that govern the lockdown protocols within the different countries we operate in,” says Imperial’s Markus van der Merwe.Imperial has been working closely with local government to develop procedures and practical solutions to ensure logistics as an essential service continues to function as efficiently as possible. “The health and safety of our employees, clients and general public – while providing uninterrupted logistics services to our clients – is our highest priority,” he adds.“Imperial has invested extensive resources in training, awareness, PPE and onsite quarantine facilities to inform and protect their employees during the pandemic.“The stark reality is that logistics service providers are under added financial strain as supply chains are less efficient under lockdown regulations – with untimely delays and cargo limited to essential goods during this “new normal” we find ourselves operating in,” says Van der MerweReducing costs, managing cashf low, and leveraging support from government and financial institutions will be crucial for logistics service providers to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, he says.
