Mining machinery into Zambia doubles - transporter

As new construction
projects and new
mining ventures
pump up trade
into southern Africa, Semwat
Transport is upbeat about
continued growth.
“The mining sector has
done very well,” said Semwat’s
Hashim Ismail. “Compared
to last year, we have almost
doubled our deliveries of mining
machinery – excavators, wheel
loaders and the like – into
Zambia alone,” he told FTW.
“With the development of the
new power station south east of
Zambia, a lot of construction
materials are being bought and
shipped via South Africa into
Zambia.”
There’s also been plenty of
activity in Mozambique, says
Ismail. “While projects in Tete
have slowed down over the past
two years, the focus has moved to
Palma in northern Mozambique.
“Because of the latest gas
findings there, construction
materials as well as mining
equipment are being sourced and
moved up from South Africa.
There are also a few housing
developments happening in
various towns in Mozambique
– and once again all the
construction
materials are
manufactured
and freighted
from South
Africa.”
Mozambique has also
started exporting a number
of products – cotton seed for
example – to South Africa, which
is encouraging for the GDP of
Mozambique, he added.
But operating into Africa is not
without its challenges – and costs
are not the least of these.
“The whole region has seen a
substantial increase in the price
of abnormal load permits, crossborder
permits, road tolls and
carbon taxes. And while you
would expect that this extra
revenue would be invested in
road upgrades, this is not the
case. In fact the infrastructure
is not even being maintained in
the regions to which we deliver.”