‘Companies have adapted quickly to the crisis’

Zambia should take control of its own destiny and deal with issues instead of keeping its head in the sand. So says Kitwe businessman Simon Boroma Mwale, chief operations officer of BBC Consolidations. “More and more Zambian mines are owned by foreign investors and local control has become minimal. These investors have no need to focus on the local market and economy as they are taking their profit out. As a country we must get our act together and address these and other issues,” he says. “Africa as a continent must come to the party and understand the impact of always being in crisis management mode. We need to plan more and make our countries work.” He says while there is a definite decrease in the movement of goods, companies have also adapted very quickly to the crisis. “People are using their money well and putting it where it matters most. We work very closely with the mines and have found that all the recreational and entertainment goods we used to move for them have come to an end – no more bikes, but valves and pump spares. All the essentials are still big business.” Having recently signed a contract to move between half a ton and three tons of essential spares for a mine, Mwale says there is also a lot of potential for Zambia in working across the border in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “Breaking into the market is tricky but if we can harmonise the relationships there is so much opportunity.” With an office in Johannesburg, Mwale is also considering setting up border post offices as this will ensure cargo moves more quickly and more efficiently. “Our focus in the coming months is all about shedding the extra costs, paying more attention to our fleet, maintaining costs and providing a better service.”