The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA), together with several public sector stakeholders, have developed an action plan to improve the performance of the cross-border road transport system and regional trade f low.According to the C-BRTA’s chief operating officer, Nchaupe Maepa, the plan articulates smart interventions which should be promoted, supported and implemented across the SADC-EAC-Comesa tripartite regions.Maepa said the plan would be discussed with private sector stakeholders over the next month.Another new intervention is the decision by the Department of Transport (DoT) to establish an intergovernmental task team on third party insurance. Along with the DoT, the task team comprises the C-BRTA and the Road Accident Fund. The task team aims to create a competitive environment for South African cross-border operators by establishing a national position on third party insurance. The team will offer a research and advisory service to the minister of transport, explained Maepa.“The cross-border road transport sector plays a significant role in both intra-Africa trade and the socio-economic development of South Africa and the Southern African Development Community,” he added. “The various programmes and interventions which are being rolled out from a continental, regional and domestic perspective will have a significant impact on the cross-border road transport sector.”Maepa said other important initiatives to take note of were the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), the Tripartite Transport and Transit Facilitation Programme (TTTFP), corridor monitoring systems, the Authorised Economic Operator programme (AEO), the Operator Compliance Accreditation Scheme (OCAS), C-BRTA’s Cross-Easy permit application system as well as the Cross-Border Road Transport and Trade Facilitation Information platform. “These interventions will further create an environment that’s conducive to harnessing technology by regulatory authorities, transport operators and other stakeholders in the value chain both in the country and in the rest of the region,” said Maepa. “To this end, the C-BRTA has embarked on a technology make-over in order to respond to emerging developments and take advantage of opportunities that lie ahead.”The agency is finalising the development of the abovementioned Cross-Border Road Transport and Trade Facilitation Information platform. It is scheduled to go live officially this month. The platform will be used to provide important up-to-date information and data to stakeholders in the cross-border value chain.“One of the major trends observed in the transport space is the accelerated utilisation of technology, defining the fourth industrial revolution,” said Maepa. “The C-BRTA is investing in technologies that will improve regulatory efficiency and the accessibility of its services for cross-border road transport operators – and, in so doing, deliver increased value to these operators without increasing the costs of doing business.”
