Nature of the product should dictate the mode

ADVANTAGE: Road versus rail? As Swaziland’s railway system reports an upswing in containerised imports at the expense of road freight haulers, Chrisilda Transport says it is not the number of containers that matters, but the content. “I say let the rail carry the empty containers, I carry full loads for people who want their shipments on time. My customers know it takes forever to bring things in by rail, and that is my advantage,” said company manager Sikelela Vilakati. Cement is one timesensitive commodity requiring swift transport cross-border from Durban, at a time when highway and other construction is intensive in Swaziland. Purchasers rely on Chrisilda to deliver the loads. “We are spreading our wings. We are not concentrating on just one customer like in the past,” Vilakati said. In addition to Sappi forestry products like paper pulp, key clients include textile companies and timber plantations. The Chrisilda facility at the southern end of the Matsapha Industrial Estate, where it abuts open fields, also has physical space to spread its wings. An inland container depot is growing, serviced by a fleet of trucks numbering more than 40. The vehicles ply routes from Durban to Cape Town.