Moz-Joburg service offers speed of air at roadfreight rates

Licensed road courier operator between Mozambique and South Africa, Panthera Express has seen steady growth in recent months. This, the company believes, is due to the relationship it has built with customs in Mozambique. “We share the same premises and are able to ensure our customers receive quick and efficient attention,” says Panthera Express director Sandro Seresi. Through a concession from Correios de Mocambique (the Mozambican Post Office), Panthera Express has an agreement with Mozambican Customs to clear goods in the Maputo city centre at the premises of the Terminal Internacional de Encomendas Postais (also the premises of the company’s warehouse). Along with a licence from the Ministry of Transport, issued by the Instituto Nacional de Comunicacao de Mozambique, as well as its membership of the Association for Mozambican Courier Companies, Panthera Express is well connected to deliver a prompt and efficient service, says Seresi. Based in Mozambique with offices in Johannesburg, the company offers a thriceweekly courier service between Maputo and Johannesburg. “Our service is overnight and by prior arrangement can be delivered to their door. Our warehouse premises in Maputo are on the same site as customs and this allows for a very fast service.” In fact, probably as fast as using air to courier, says Seresi, only at a much more affordable rate. “We were the first private courier company in Mozambique and have built up a very strong relationship with the various officials. We are also the official courier for the Mozambican postal service.” Panthera Express also ofers a service to Beira once a week. “We are slowly but surely attracting bigger business as they are seeing the benefit of using our trucks – road is not necessarily slow. We are hoping to be able to offer a daily service between Maputo and Johannesburg very soon.” The courier service also comes with a tracking system and both sender and receiver are kept up to date on their parcels via SMS. “People need to know where their goods are at all times. Using our courier service not only guarantees this, but it is also more flexible and can be adapted to suit a particular client’s needs.” Contracted to move fresh flowers from Johannesburg for the various Mozambican government departments and hotels in Maputo means they have to move quickly. “Our trucks leave Maputo early morning for pick up in Johannesburg and depart again early evening. They overnight at the border post to reach our warehouse and customs in the early morning.”