‘If the roads are really bad – that’s our territory’

One way to succeed in the increasingly crowded field of Angolan transport is to create a unique service. The firm Unlimited Logistics has made its mark by combining the know-how of veteran road haulers with a focus on delivering to frontier areas. “We are the frontier guys who go where other companies don’t want to go. The roads in Angola are bad, but where we go they are really bad. But there are lots of customers who need deliveries there,” said Johan Claassen. With a fleet ranging from bakkies to Cooling and Super Links at its disposal, Unlimited Logistics transports parcels from a kilogram in weight to full 32-ton cargoes from South Africa to any destination in Angola, Namibia or neighbouring countries. “Our small loads - one, three, six and eight tonnes – are also moving fast. We deliver anything anywhere, but what we offer our customers that is special is the experience we have of road transport into Angola,” Claassen said. “We often have to repack the trucks that have come up from Gauteng for the conditions in Angola because they have been loaded for tar roads,” said Claassen, whose company is headquartered in Windhoek. “We use very experienced drivers, some with 16 years’ experience (on the Angolan route). They know all the routes and procedures, which is vital to get the freight through safely. We have our own road bond, and we help customers with clearing and other customs requirements,” Claassen said. There is no road freight cargo the company won’t move, and key items transported this year have been groceries, building material, steel, fresh water boats and machinery like bulldozers and backhoes for road construction. “What customers want from us is our experience. All of us have a lot of that to bring to Angolan transport,” Claassen said.