‘In Zambia it’s feast or famine’

Empty yards are a common sight in Zambia these days – unlike a year ago when they were bursting at the seams. With an economy dependent on the price of copper there was no way of escaping the impact of the global economic meltdown, which severely affected the African mining sector. Piet la Grange of Pro-Con says while many remain optimistic that the price of copper will soon stabilise and that production on the mines will resume, most transporters have had to take the blows. “Many companies have parked some of their fleets and are just moving the essentials. The slowdown has put downward pressure on rates and transporters are forced to accept rates on offer. “At border posts where once hundreds of trucks were queuing to move goods into the country, now there are a handful. “The big boom of a year ago has all but disappeared,” says La Grange. “From unlimited cargo southbound to selected loading now. We are seeing very few abnormals and project cargo figures have reduced. “We are managing as we have a good reputation and can still provide a reliable service. Zambia is either feast or famine – a year ago everyone was scurrying around trying to find a truck, now there is an oversupply. We remain optimistic though that it will soon be back to business as usual.”