Border inconsistencies stymie fluid cargo flow

Efficiency remains one of the

major problems in southern

Africa, especially at border

posts where the different

customs procedures between

countries impact significantly.

“In Botswana you can wait several

days for a proof of payment if you do

it electronically,” said one forwarder.

“In other words most people don’t do

it electronically but rather manually

because then they have the proof

immediately and they can get going

with the clearance. It is just not

efficient.”

Comparing the customs systems

in Botswana to those of South Africa

where modernisation has made a

major difference is another headache.

“We are still far from that and so

there is very little similarity between

two neighbouring countries’ customs

systems – and we wonder why there

are delays at the border posts.”

Whilst African governments are

committed to growing intra-regional

trade, the reality on the ground is

that it takes a long time for policy

and regional agreements to be

implemented – which means that

there is very little evidence of their

existence in everyday operations.

“Trade facilitation still has a very

long way to go,” another Botswana

forwarder told FTW. “If one exports

from here you are required to have

three documents, but if you import

from South Africa to Botswana you

need a host of documents and it is

never easy to pre-clear cargo. The

complexity of the different systems

being used by the different countries

makes it a difficult environment in

which to operate.”

He said while policies existed

across southern Africa, the actual

implementation at ground level was

just not happening.

The same situation is being

experienced at the Chirundu border.

Despite the fact that it is a one-stop

border post, cargo doesn’t move

through the system as speedily as it

should.

“Officials on both sides are just

not willing to give up on their own

systems and procedures to avoid

duplicating what should only be done

once,” said a transporter who often

uses the border post.

Ongoing non-tariff barriers – all

driving up costs and impacting

efficiency, further exacerbate this.

“A lot of work still has to be done

to create similarities in systems and

operations, to address the numerous

barriers and also the competition

that exists between countries if we

really want to see a harmonious

environment where intra-regional

trade flourishes,” said the source.

CAPTION

The Skilpadshek border between South Africa and Botswana ...

trade facilitation has a long way to go.