Inspections biggest culprit in delays – survey

Process inefficiencies, particularly inspections and congestion, are the biggest drivers of cross-border delays. This was the key finding of a Freight News survey of cross-border freight operators, forwarders, customs brokers and logistics stakeholders conducted to assess current operating conditions across southern Africa’s major freight corridors. The results point to an industry that remains operationally stable but under persistent structural pressure, with rising costs, entrenched delays and continued reliance on critical gateways such as the Beitbridge border post. While security concerns remain an increasing risk, respondents indicated that procedural inefficiencies and capacity bottlenecks – along with administrative processing and border management systems – were by far the most significant contributors to delays. Half the respondents said delays remained unchanged, while a further 32% reported that conditions were worsening. The findings suggest little evidence of systemic improvement, with operators describing a cross-border environment characterised more by stagnation than recovery. When asked to rank the main causes of delays, inspections emerged as the single biggest contributor, followed by congestion, agent delays and system outages. More than 90% of respondents reported rising costs as a concern, with 61% indicating that they had experienced significant increases. The data suggests that cost escalation is not driven purely by fuel volatility. Instead, respondents consistently pointed to regulatory friction, administrative duplication, inspection intensity and border unpredictability as key contributors. In effect, compliance has emerged as a major cost category for cross-border operators. Corridor performance remains another key pressure point. When asked to identify the most strained routes, respondents repeatedly highlighted several major border crossings, including Beitbridge on the N1 corridor, Lebombo on the N4, as well as Kazungula and Chirundu. Beitbridge was the most frequently cited priority border for intervention. Respondents pointed to the commercial importance of the route, queue time volatility, capacity constraints and the cascading impact that disruptions at the crossing can have on wider regional supply chains. For many operators, Beitbridge continues to function as a regional pressure valve for freight flows moving between South Africa and markets further north. The survey also highlighted a shift in what customers expect from logistics providers. When respondents were asked to rank shipper priorities, cost control emerged as the most important factor, followed by speed, visibility and predictability. Risk management and neutrality ranked lower. The results suggest that while transit time remains important, cost management has become the dominant concern for importers and exporters operating in the region. At the same time, visibility and predictability are becoming more important, indicating that customers increasingly value transparency and reliable information on the movement of cargo. Looking ahead, respondents expressed growing concern about the operating environment over the next six to 12 months. Key risks identified include potential regulatory tightening, continued variability in border operations, uncertainty around cargo volumes on mining-linked corridors and the broader challenge of maintaining predictability across regional supply chains. LV