Central location offers strategic opportunities

ZAMBIA’S landlocked location is not
a problem but an opportunity as
it is very central to the rest of the
region, says Halifax Freight Services
managing director Perry Siatulye.
The company, started five years
ago by Siatulye after a long career
as a customs officer, has offices at
every border crossing – Livingstone,
Nakonde, Chirundu, Katima-Mulilo
and Kasumbalesa.
It specialises in customs clearing
and forwarding and Siatulye
believes the experience he gained
as a customs officer has given him
invaluable knowledge and experience
as well as great contacts to deliver
the best possible service to Halifax’s
clients. He insists that all staff have
studied clearing at a college before
he employs them.
The company is also more than
prepared to go the extra mile. It has
for instance assisted clients with
buying trucks, from negotiating with
dealers in the UK and completing
the transaction, right through to
collecting the cargo at Durban or
Dar es Salaam and delivering it to
the client’s door. In general, its main
customers are importers of mining
equipment for drilling and exporters
of copper.
Like everyone else involved in
freight transport, Siatulye is very
optimistic about Zambia’s economic
future. He believes the government is
doing a fine job by allowing everyone
space in the development of the
country. This is further assisted by
a free market economy and the
strengthening of the kwacha.
“Only the lazy are complaining,”
concludes Perry.