The detention of trucks and drivers at border posts for Covid-19 testing has created an artificial shortage of trucks and drivers in the region.According to Derick Mokgatle, acting managing director of Sea Rail Botswana, this came at a price for the road freight sector which was already having to deal with the increased cost of transport and longer transit times.“If, for example, a truck was supposed to take two days from Walvis Bay in Namibia to Gaborone in Botswana, it now takes an average of five days due to testing and waiting for Covid-19 results at the border posts.”While describing the shortage of trucks and drivers as artificial because they were actually there, he said major impact of this and the delays was significantly affecting cost.At the same time, said Mokgatle, truck drivers were under tremendous pressure, operating under difficult conditions in these pandemic times.“We appeal to all stakeholders to be considerate of truck drivers who are the front liners of our industry,” he said. “If it was not for these drivers we would not get essential goods to the end destinations. They are doing this despite the stigma they often face. They are working hard to improve service delivery despite all the challenges at present when it comes to moving goods in these trying times.”
