Home
FacebookTwitterSearchMenu
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • News
  • Features
  • Knowledge Library
  • Columns
  • Customs
  • Jobs
  • Directory
  • FX Rates
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Send us news
    • Editorial Guidelines
Africa
COVID-19
Imports and Exports
Logistics
Other
People
Road/Rail Freight

BORDER BEAT: Covid-induced measures take psychological toll on truckers

30 Sep 2020 - by Eugene Goddard
0 Comments

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • E-mail
  • Print

A strong appeal for more consideration and care of cross-border truck drivers was made by Mbahupu Tjivikua, CEO of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG), at a webinar last week looking at the impact of Covid-19 on logistics and supply.

Although the impact of the coronavirus is well known, the plight of people on the ground ensuring goods are still distributed to markets is often overlooked.

Citing long delays at borders because of stringent testing regimes by countries such as Botswana, Tjivikua said driver fatigue stemming from long waiting times for test results was taking a heavy psychological toll on long-distance drivers.

“The mental health of drivers and all others in the logistics and supply chain is negatively impacted.”

Working among colleagues that either have the virus or are dying from the virus, drivers fear that that they may contract the killer flu.

In addition, truck drivers and frontline staff were heavily stigmatised and isolated in unhealthy and often overcrowded quarantine facilities, he added.

According to Tjivikua, in worst-case scenarios 200 to 300 drivers congregate at a certain location at any given time, waiting for authorities to report back on tests - with inadequate or no facilities to prevent crowding at border crossings.

Moreover, in many instances there is little or no social distancing in areas where drivers have to wait before they can proceed into another country.

It’s also not the first time that sub-Saharan governments have been made aware of the irony of measures to which drivers are subjected due to ill-considered Covid-curbing measures.

During stricter phases of the various lockdown procedures across the region, Mike Fitzmaurice of the Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (Fesarta) regularly lamented the poor decision making of authorities which resulted in drivers being detained for a week or sometimes more.

A case in point was Zambia’s Kazangula border where drivers kept crossing the Zambezi into Botswana and having to wait for test results.

It led to an intolerable situation as authorities in Gaborone did not have the means or medical capacity to keep pace with mounting test requirements of trucks pouring across the Copperbelt crossing.

Fitzmaurice at the time called it a human rights travesty in the making.

Tjivikua recalled that more recently the WBCG had found that many countries in the region simply did not have the ability to apply adequate testing procedures, or house drivers in proper quarantine facilities.

He said whereas previously it had taken about three days for a truck to complete a trip from Walvis Bay to Johannesburg on the Trans-Kalahari Corridor, it now took up to seven days.

Sign up to our mailing list and get daily news headlines and weekly features directly to your inbox free.
Subscribe to receive print copies of Freight News Features to your door.

Famers need beyond-banking assistance – futures specialist

Imports and Exports

Agricultural assistance also extends to analysing the South African Futures Exchange.

Today 10:00
0 Comments

SA a top target for cyber attacks

Technology

Increasing dependence on technology to deliver services means security risks are rising.

Today 09:45
0 Comments

Carbon capture solution cuts emissions by up to 70%

Sea Freight

The high technology system captures emissions from all exhaust gas sources.

Today 09:45
0 Comments

Nigeria moves to end cabotage waivers

Sea Freight

The government has launched a maritime joint venture to boost the local shipping industry.

Today 09:30
0 Comments

Africa must raise energy tariffs to attract investment

Africa

Tariff policies in many countries have kept electricity prices artificially low.

Today 09:15
0 Comments

SACU ‘should be renegotiated’ to benefit the region

Imports and Exports

Namibia says the restrictions on imports are justified to support industries to become self-sufficient.

Today 09:00
0 Comments

Business driving growth amid political divide

Economy

The provincial governments need business to become involved in upgrading the logistics infrastructure of roads, rail, ports and airports.

Today 07:15
0 Comments

Majority union at Transnet downs tools

Logistics

The company, responsible for rail and port cargo, remains in a precarious financial state.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Thought leaders talk Trump and tariffs at Nampo Harvest Day

Economy

Landman remarked that it all came down to Ramaphosa’s visit to Washington next week.

Yesterday
0 Comments

SA avocado growers ship first fruit of season to China

Imports and Exports

The country’s total avocado exports were just over 81 000 tonnes in 2024 with just a fraction heading to this new market.

Yesterday
0 Comments

China Airlines announces Boeing 777X orders

Air Freight

As the world's largest twin-engine jet, the B777X-9 uses 20% less fuel and has a range of 7 295 nautical miles (13 510 km).

Yesterday
0 Comments

US retailers welcome pause on China tariffs

Imports and Exports

The move paves the way for a fair and balanced trade relationship, says the National Retail Federation.

Yesterday
0 Comments
  • More

FeatureClick to view

The Cape 16 May 2025

Border Beat

The N4 Maputo Corridor crossing – congestion, crime and potholes
12 May 2025
Fuel-crime curbing causes tanker build-up at Moz border
08 May 2025
Border police turn the tide on illegal crossings
29 Apr 2025
More

Featured Jobs

New

Seafreight Export Controller

Tiger Recruitment
Cape Town
15 May
New

Import Manager (NVOCC)

Switch Recruit
Eastrand
15 May
New

Sales Co-Ordinator

Lee Botti & Associates
Cape Town
14 May
More Jobs
  • © Now Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Freight News RSS
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Send us news
  • Contact us