DTI bulks up logistics competence

KEVIN MAYHEW
THE DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry (dti) has taken important steps to elevate the logistics competence of its staff to provide better input in key forums seeking to meet the country’s requirements to be a global trade contender.
That was the message to industry stakeholders by the dti’s director logistics and infrastructure, Elvin Harris, when he addressed a forum at the NafcocJCCI Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Johannesburg last week
“Is there light at the end of the tunnel in South Africa’s national logistics system?” was the topic under the spotlight.
“We have seen weaknesses in our departmental manpower and addressed them to get better equipped people in place to knowledgeably research, assess needs and make representation to the private sector and the government so all parties can achieve their objectives,” Harris explained.
The dti recently became a member of the South African chapter of the Supply Chain Council based in Pittsburg in the United States, he said. The Council offers the benchmark Supply Chain Operations Reference Model (SCOR) methodology that is fast becoming the global standard for supply chain management.
“We are determined to get close to the heart of our area of responsibility before we make recommendations in error. This is a far cry from the situation which existed up till now and indicates the government’s commitment to the development of a world class supply chain,” he said.
In terms of supply chain logistics, Harris claims that South Africa is absolutely not good enough to compete on the world stage at present. It will, he says, require greater interaction between private enterprise and various tiers of government to address this brake on capacity to succeed globally.
He said in certain instances healthy competitive practices for a share of the local market should be subverted, enabling the sharing of knowledge and benefits which will facilitate exports.
“It is no good for one motor vehicle manufacturer to find export methods that make it competitive overseas and not share that supply chain knowledge so as to make other local producers competitive as well. In this way the individual producers win, the government wins because exports drive growth and the economy benefits.