BARNEY CURTISExecutive Director

FESARTA (Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations)

Road Freight Transport Workshop, Johannesburg. 27th-28th September 2011

OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESENTATION

To detail the main challenges faced by road transporters operating in the region (including East Africa)

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CONTENTS

What is FESARTAChallengesPhotos

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WHAT IS FESARTAA regional association, set up in 1993,

according to Article 13.13 of the SADC Protocol on Transport Communications and Meteorology, to: represent the road transport private sector at

regional road transport forumsWork with the National Road Transport

Associations (NRTAs) to remove non-tariff barriers along the road transport routes

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WHAT IS FESARTAA Section 21 company (association not for

gain) registered in South AfricaIts membership is the 12 or so NRTAs in East

and Southern AfricaIt is the road transporter’s and other

interested parties’ voice at regional COMESA, EAC and SADC forums

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NON-TARIFF BARRIER SYSTEM

COMESA/EAC/SADC Tripartite system to eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade

Hosted in each of the three RECs, though SADC is the most active

Anyone can raise an NTBREC will confirm, then take up with StateDon’t exactly correlate with problems

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REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations agreed at REC level. Some are now annexes to the Protocol

Member States are required to implement the recommendations, but don’t always comply

The Protocol does not have “teeth”, like the EAC Acts, which are supra-national

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INTER-STATE RECOGNITION

One Member State may not recognize the arrangement that another State may have with its transporters Eg Tanzania customs requires

transporters to license with it; not recognizing the home customs licence

A transporter’s own customs will know the transporter better

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CHARGES, LEVIES, TAXES

Transporters are seen as “cash cows”Charges are summarily introduced

without consultation with those who are paying the charges

Charges are not transparent, eg CBRTA permits, GFIP toll system, entry fees into Zambia and Swaziland, DRC border charges

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OVERLOADING CONTROLLoad limits not harmonized. Eg 9 to 10

tons single axle, 48 to 49 tons artic. Weighbridge allowances on gvm/gcm.

Eg SA 2%, Zim 0%, Malawi 5%Weighbridge calibration not always

done regularly and/or accuratelyWeighing of empty trucks

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Borders. Many were built decades ago and have not been upgraded

Bridges. There are ferries where there should be bridges eg Kazungula. The Tete bridge is limited to 48 tons gcm

Road design. Many need upgrading eg Dar to Chalinze

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Bypasses. Eg Lusaka, LubumbashiRoad maintenance well below standard.

Eg Kapiri – Nakonde, Nata – KazungulaWeighbridges. Many are still single axle,

are not suited to multi-axle units and should be phased out

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BORDER POSTS PROCEDURES, DOCSVery little joint management of bordersMost are still two-stop borders. Only

Chirundu is one-stopAuthorities at borders often don’t

communicate, with duplication and inefficiencies

Operating hours insufficient for traffic

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BRIBERY AND CORRUPTIONBorders. Delays, smuggling, complex

and excessive documentation . Drivers are not “saints” and can be involved in smuggling

Weighbridges. Readings differ along a corridor

Road blocks. Often illegal and there to earn private income

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MARKET ACCESSBi-lateral agreements not managed wellThird Country Rule in place in most StatesCOMESA carrier licence to liberalize cross-

border transport, but some States don’t comply. Eg Kenya’s restrictions

Overlapping between COMESA and SADC creates confusion

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IMMIGRATION CONTROL OF DRIVERS

Unfair application of visitors visas and work permits. Eg South Africa

Visitors visas can be very expensive and difficult to obtain. Eg Angola

Limit of annual stay by a driver in a State. Eg Botswana and Zambia limit 90 days total in a year

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OTHER DRIVER ISSUESGeneral Health. Bad eating and exercise

habits, leading to diabetes, etc. HIV/AIDS. Being away from home

encourages bad sexual behaviourDriving licence. The professional driving

permit (PrDP), or equivalent, is not harmonized and sometimes not acceptable

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ROAD SAFETY

Advanced driver training probably the most important factor in road safety

Poor management of drivers and their driving hours on trips

Inadequate truck stops. To link with Wellness Centres and emergency services

Left-hand drive trucks questionable

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HIJACKING

Not well publicizedEspecially with high value loads, eg

copper, cigarettes, liquor, TVsDrivers’ trips to be better managed with

vehicle tracking and direct phone contactDrivers don’t manage stops well enoughInsufficient truck stops

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FITNESS OF VEHICLES

Importation of old trucks compromises the ability to maintain a good level of fitness

Rate-cutters do not maintain their vehicles to the required standard

Enforcement of standards by authorities not effective enough

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LEFT-HAND DRIVE TRUCKS

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ROAD USER CHARGES

Not harmonized and some countries very high, eg DRC USD300 for 180 kms

South Africa does not implementToll road fees complicate the matterCOMESA recommended US$10/100 kms.

SADC recommended country-specificSADC process is struggling

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3RD PARTY INSURANCE

Three systems. Yellow Card, Fuel Levy, Cash

Systems not harmonized, drivers have to carry cash

Some States Yellow Card fees very highOverlapping of COMESA and SADC

complicate the matter

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DIMENSIONS OF VEHICLESOverall height. SADC recommended 4.3

metres. States vary between 4.1 and 4.6. A high-cube 12-metre ISO container on a standard trailer requires 4.5 metres.

Overall width varies between 2.5 and 2.6 metres

Artic length varies between 16.5 and 18 metres

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DANGEROUS GOODS

Lack of knowledge and regulationsBecoming a serious problem for road

safetyStates introducing restrictions which

may not be reasonable. Eg ZimbabweInsufficient and unprofessional

emergency services

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ABNORMAL LOADS

No harmonized regulationsStates apply punitive charges without

professional calculationsEscorts a problem across borders

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CUSTOMS DOCS AND PROCEDURESNot really a transporters issue, but can

create serious problemsLicensing by foreign statesBond payment delays at borders, due to

“briefcase” agentsContinually changing requirementsDelay in implementing a transit bond

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RELATIONSHIP WITH AUTHORITIES

In some states, relationship is not good, eg in East Africa

Authorities apply tough and punitive measures. Transporters try to outsmart them. Stalemate

Self-regulation not yet far enough forward to make a difference

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TRIPARTITE ACTION PLAN

Many initiatives to try and solve the problems

Most notable is the Tripartite Trade and Transport Facilitation Programme

FESARTA works with TMSA on itUSAID programme fits with this plan

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IRTE AGM, 15th July 2010 30

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THANK YOU

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